I had never been to the Scottish Parliament building before but knew of some of the controversy behind it. I deliberately tried to avoid reading to much about it prior to our trip as I was determined to have an unclouded vision of the building and wanted to assess it purely on a subjective level of how the spaces made me feel and whether or not i felt it was successful architecture.
The opening entrance has a heavy conrete overhang which i felt added a huge density to the space establishing the building as a formal place with a sense of importance and security. This is nicely complimented by the warmth of the natural Scottish oak timber which creates a comfortable yet formal environment. The public area where people can peruse the models of the building and take photographs was, I felt, a comfortable space to move around in and enjoy the shape of the smooth ceiling and abstract shaped windows. The lightwells allowed for a nicely lit space creating an ambient, whilst intimate atmosphere that is enjoyed by the public.
When we started the tour and were shown other parts of the building that are kept secure and not for public use, my perseptions changed slightly. I feel that parts of the building were over-laden with symbolism which weighed down the purity of the space inside. For example; the criss-crossing lines, the panelling on the windows that are shaped like curtains, the saltires, the people shapes painted onto windows. All this imagery became over-consuming and i felt detracted from the beauty of the space, it was trying to be all too 'deep' in my opinion and irritated me more as we went on. The layout of the building in itself was difficult to understand and i felt it to be all too chaotic.
HOWEVER!! I didn't let this completely cloud my vision. I particularly enjoyed the feeling of transparency and felt that Miralles took great advantage of the light to create feeling in spaces. The spectacular views of Arthur's Seat couldn't fail to impress anyone and the fact that the architect had optimised this sight was a real asset to the building.
i particularly enjoyed and respected the auditorium area in the parliament building, admiring the way the seats are positioned so as not to oppose one another. The lighting in the room is successful the honest roof structure is a real feature of the auditorium. the oak timber also creates a real warmth. It makes you proud of your country to think that that wood is from our land...loved it! we sat in there quite happily for at least half an hour just enjoying the space.