When architects have too much Irn Bru

October 10, 2003 4:56 AM

Construction of the Scottish Parliament in Pictures. The site was way over its budget even before they'd started building it, but it's nice to see they're at least doing something creative with the design. Being a lucky soul, I get to walk past this monstrosity every single day.
posted by bwerdmuller (15 comments total)

Because I know you're interested, the parliament is going to end up costing the Scottish people around 900% of its original price, ending up at around £375 million.
posted by bwerdmuller at 5:04 AM on October 10, 2003

Being a lucky soul, I get to walk past this monstrosity every single day.

you're not the holyrood park flasher are you ?
posted by sgt.serenity at 6:02 AM on October 10, 2003

Having lived in the 'burgh for 2 years and leaving just as they were starting this project, this post has made be yearn to go back (not for the building or the flasher thanks very much... mostly the pubs and the people). Thanks for allowing me to remember the place bwerdmuller.

So tell me, how are the efforts at rebuilding the cowgate and Chambers street after the big fire coming along? Tastefully reconstructed or knocked down and modernized?
posted by sonicgeeza at 6:20 AM on October 10, 2003

There is still a massive hole on Cowgate; they've removed a bunch of the rubble, but haven't attempted to put anything on top of it yet. We'll see ...

Note to non-reekie MeFites: there was a massive fire in Edinburgh a year or so ago, which knocked a large hole out of the centre of town. The culprit was a club called the Gilded Balloon.

Bizarrely, this Festival, Teviot Row House was renamed the Gilded Balloon and Potterow became the Pleasance Dome. Confused the hell out of me.
posted by bwerdmuller at 6:36 AM on October 10, 2003

Tastefully neglected so far, sonicgeeza - cleared away, but nothing there yet. (That's what I walk past every day to and from work.) Chambers St survived intact... the shops/cafes near the corner have now reopened after repairs.
posted by rory at 6:37 AM on October 10, 2003

Potterow has been the Pleasance Dome for the past few Fringes, bwerdmuller. I'm pretty sure Teviot Row House even had some kind of Gilded Balloon promotional label in the 2002 Fringe...
posted by rory at 6:40 AM on October 10, 2003

Reminds me of the article I was reading today at lunch regarding the Dia:Beacon. This is not the article although it is a link to the project in the magazine where the article appeared; the jist of the article being that sometimes it's good when architects do good things with restraint.

Lunch was great by the way: steak au sauce roquefort et pommes sauté avec un ballon du côte, café followed by two shots of poire (the latter in celebration of the propriétaires new grande-fille.
posted by Dick Paris at 6:49 AM on October 10, 2003

this post has made me yearn to go back

I drank a great deal of cheap Bulgarian wine (Blood of the Bull!) when I lived in Edinburgh, in an ancient Scottish house with the Craigs, my ancient Scottish landlords, down beside the sea in Portobello. I don't precisely yearn to go back, but I'd love to visit again, and drink a bit more.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:36 AM on October 10, 2003

The Cowgate site is due for a big archaeological dig. I know the archaeologists who've been working on it up till now - it should produce some interesting stuff.

Re the parliament, the first custom-built parliament house for the original Scottish parliament was built in the 1630s and caused a huge stushie even then about the cost and who was paying for it. It was built on the orders of Charles I - curious as he wasn't usually a great fan of parliaments - and amusingly enough the first parliament that sat in it was a Covenanting parliament which promptly defied the King and fought him in the civil wars. I wonder what will happen with this one!
posted by Flitcraft at 8:03 AM on October 10, 2003

This is interesting to me, mostly because Ian Rankin has mentioned the construction of the Scottish Parliament in a few of his recent novels.

I'm wondering if one of you could tell me what the amazing and beautiful stone building at the top of this picture is. That's what a parliament ought to look like.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:33 AM on October 10, 2003

That's the building which was actually meant to have been used for the Scottish Parliament until Tony Blair and co decided against it! The Old Royal High School
posted by Flitcraft at 9:04 AM on October 10, 2003

Just goes to show that we don't need nearly as many Parliaments and other government buildings as governments insist on building.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:53 AM on October 10, 2003

When people complain about the Scottish Parliament being over budget, I always think to myself - "how much do you think they spent on building the palace of Westminster?"

If you can't splash out on a Parliament..
posted by ascullion at 12:36 PM on October 10, 2003

Tommy Douglas, founder of the CCF: "Debts and deficits are very bad things. When you are beholden to bankers, you cannot do the things that you want to do as Social Democrats." Nine hundred per cent over budget and they haven't finished. And a useable building behind. Awful. Awful.

Thanks for bringing this up. (Bring us more Scottish-themed FPPs, if you can.)
posted by philfromhavelock at 9:57 PM on October 10, 2003

wow theres a few people from edinburgh here !
how you all doin ?

never mind the gilded ballon , im upset that leisureland burnt down.
I remember when they used to have the fringe club up at teviot , that was excellent.
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:03 PM on October 12, 2003