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Limited public access
to the building

building image © Keith Hunter from RMJM
Scottish Parliament Building
- Tours + Background on dates / opening times
Location : east end of Royal Mile, Old Town, Edinburgh
Opened: 2004
Key award : Stirling Prize + Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture, 2005

MSP Foyer View © Adrian Welch
Edinburgh Walking Tours - these can include a visit to the building &
description of the exterior: Contact Isabelle Lomholt on 01620 825722
/ 07952 149814

images © Keith Hunter from RMJM
Scottish Parliament Architecture - Tours:
Visit and try to understand the Enric Miralles legacy - check with the
Scottish Parliament: Contact on 0131 348 5000 or 0845 278 1999
Debating Chamber access depends on parliamentary business
Spanish Architect - Information & Books:
Scottish
Parliament Architect - Enric Miralles
Scottish Parliament Building Tours: scroll towards base of page for
details

Scottish Parliament Building: MSP Block south-west prow
© Adrian Welch
Scottish Parliament
- Photos

photograph © Jason Baxter
New Scottish Parliament - Devolution
Architecture Competition announced by Scottish Office in 1998: 12 teams
shortlisted, then narrowed down to 5 groups of Scottish + foreign architect
teams.
Enric Miralles + RMJM Architects won and by 1999 the Assembly Building
was on site in Holyrood.
Debating Chamber with MSP Desks, Well looking south
Outline
Controversial Issues such as choice of site, timing, architect (non-scottish),
followed by escalating costs (from an unrealistic benchmark), have left
the design of the Scottish Parliament Building often neglected in the
Press. Sir David Steel, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament claimed
"This building is the most important to be built in Scotland for
300 years": although this no doubt refers back to the Act of
Union in 1707, the point has architectural validity too.
Tragedy
Enric Miralles died in 2000 (aged 45) a few months after construction
on the Scottish Parliament Building commenced.
Donald Dewar also died in 2000: he was Secretary of State for Scotland,
and then First Minister in the Scottish Parliament, selected the Holyrood
site and also Enric Miralles for the project.
Buildings
The New Scottish Parliament building is divided as follows:-

site plan
MSP Building - East of site
Queensberry House - North of site, refurbishment
Assembly Buildings - East of site
The Scottish Parliament Assembly Buildings:-
Canongate - the cantilevered building onto the Royal Mile
MSP Foyer (Garden Lobby) - between the latter, the Towers & Queensberry
House
Towers - four buildings, contain Committee rooms, offices, etc.
Debating Chamber - incl. exhibition spaces, cafeteria, etc.
Press Tower - just north of latter, housing studios

photograph from the east © Adrian Welch
Design Influences
Influences for the Scottish Parliament building reported include upturned
boats at Holy Island, flower paintings & Glasgow School of Art by
Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Architect influences are noted by Gillespie
as Aalto, Kahn, Pietila, Coderch, Lapena & Torres, Viaplana &
Pinon.

MSP Foyer: image by Keith Hunter Aug 2004 from EMBT/RMJM
Louis Kahn was a strong influence on architect Enric Miralles, the Kimbell
Museums vaults specifically for the three tapering vaults of the
Debating Chamber ground floor.
Scottish
Parliament influence - Lindisfarne boat.....just over the border into
England

Holy Island Boat - influence: photo © Adrian Welch
2006
Opening
The First Debate was on 7 Sep 2004. Official Opening by HM Queen took
place 9 Oct 2004
Relevant Links
Scottish Parliament Architecture
: Tours
Scottish Parliament Building
: Competition Background
Scottish Parliament Context - Edinburgh
Old Town
Scottish Parliament Competition
: Leith Proposal
Forrmer Scottish Parliament - New
College, Old Town, Edinburgh:

Scottish Parliament Building: Temporary Home at the
Mound, image © Adrian Welch
Scottish Parliament Building Book
'Works and Projects, 1975-1995'
author Enric Miralles
edited by Juanjo Lahuerta
edited by Benedetta Tagliabue Miralles
272 pp 400 illustrations, 100 in color
£27.50
Enric
Miralles Architecture
The Scottish Parliament Building can be viewed from the Canongate (Royal
Mile), Horse Guards and Holyrood Road.
Edinburgh Architecture Tours
can include a visit around the building's exterior
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk / 01620 825722 for details
Scottish Parliament Architecture : Tour inside the building 0131 348 5000

photo © Adrian Welch
Scottish
Architecture : best Scottish Buildings of the last three decades
Scottish Parliament : Best
Building in Scotland winner in 2005
Scottish Parliament Building
: Reviews
Holyrood Debating Chamber; Scottish Parliament: MSP Foyer 'leaf'
The Scottish Parliament: Tower 2; L4 Towers - Roofs
Scottish Parliament Guided Tours: some parts of the building such as under
the Debating Chamber - Foyer, Shop, Cafeteria - are accessible for free
without booking: check with the Scottish Parliament for dates & opening
times

MSP Block south facade, MSP east stair to right, picture
© Adrian Welch

Scottish Parliament Building: MSP Block with Queensberry House on right
New Scottish Parliament Building - Book: Enric
Miralles Architect

Scottish Parliament Building image by Keith Hunter late Aug 2004 from
EMBT/RMJM
Archived images of the Scottish Parliament available upon request to
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
Edinburgh : back to index
Scottish
Parliament : Scottish Design Awards 2005 - Best Publicly Funded
Building + Architecture Grand Prix
Scottish
Housing
Scottish Parliament : Edinburgh Architectural Association Centenary Medal
Other Building designed by RMJM Architects in Edinburgh:
Scottish Executive Building,
Leith
Scottish
Parliament Architects - RMJM Scotland
Scottish Parliament photos without direct credits were all approved by
RMJM/Scottish Parliament in 2004 for use on the website. Scottish Parliament
images are frequently requested - please right click on the images you
desire and mail us with the titles. We will try and contact the relevant
people / photographer
Old Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Old Town
Jenners
RBS Gogarburn
Scottish
Parliament award : Civic Trust Awards 2006 Scotland winner
Home
Comments / photos for the Scottish Parliament Architecture page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk
Scottish Parliament Building : page - adrian
welch / isabelle lomholt
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