The new Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood designed by the Catalan architect Enric Miralles and opened in October 2004.

The Scottish Parliament Building is09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Edinburgh.^[1] Construction on the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) held their first debate in the new building on Tuesday, 7 September 2004. The formal opening by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 9 October 2004.^[2] Enric Miralles, the Catalan architect who designed the building, died during the course of its construction.^[3] 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C009 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 From 1999 until the opening of the new building in 2004, committee rooms and the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament were housed in the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland located on The Mound in Edinburgh.^[4] Office and administrative accommodation in support of the Parliament were provided in buildings leased from the City of Edinburgh Council.^[4] The new Scottish Parliament Building brought together these different elements into one purpose built parliamentary complex, housing 129 MSPs and more than 1,000 staff and civil servants.^[5] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1202 KB) Summary Own photo, taken 29 April 2006 (see filename of course) from halfway up Salisbury Crags, just below the Radical Road. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1202 KB) Summary Own photo, taken 29 April 2006 (see filename of course) from halfway up Salisbury Crags, just below the Radical Road. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots3 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  -  First Minister Jack McConnell... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Holyrood is an area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Miralles Santa Caterina Market Enric Miralles (1955 - July 3, 2000) was a Catalan architect. ... Anthem: Els Segadors Capital Barcelona Official language(s) Spanish, Catalan and Aranese Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 6th  32,114 km²  6. ... The Assembly Hall is located between the Lawnmarket and the Mound in Edinburgh. ... The Church of Scotland (CofS, known informally as The Kirk, Eaglais na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the national church of Scotland. ... The Mound is an artificial hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, which connects Edinburghs New Town and its Old Town. ... City of Edinburgh (Mòr-bhaile Dhùn Èideann in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... A civil servant or public servant is a civilian career public_sector employee working for a government department or agency. ...

From the outset, the building and its construction have proven to be highly controversial.^[6] The choices of location, architect, design and construction company were all criticised by politicians, the media and the Scottish public.^[7] Scheduled to open in 2001,^[7] it did so in 2004, more than three years late with an estimated final cost of £414m,^[8] substantially higher than initial costings of between £10m and £40m.^[7] A major public inquiry into the handling of the construction, chaired by the former Lord Advocate, Peter Fraser, was established in 2003.^[7] The inquiry concluded in September 2004 and criticised the management of the whole project from the realisation of cost increases down to the way in which major design changes were implemented.^[9] Despite these criticisms and a mixed public reaction, the building was welcomed by architectural academics and critics. The building conceives a poetic union between the Scottish landscape, its people, its culture and the city of Edinburgh. This approach won the parliament numerous awards including the 2005 Stirling Prize and has been described as "a tour de force of arts and crafts and quality without parallel in the last 100 years of British architecture".^[10][11] The Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Scotland one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. ... In the politics and government of Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, a public inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by the government. ... Her Majestys Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief legal adviser to the Scottish Executive and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament. ... Peter Lovat Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie, PC, QC (b. ... Map of Scotland Although Scotland is a relatively small country, with a land area of 78 772 km², its geography is highly varied, from the rural lowlands, to the barren highlands, and from large cities to uninhabited islands. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... 30 St Mary Axe (London, England). ...

Location

Comprising an area of 1.6 hectares (4 acres), with a perimeter of 480 metres (1570 ft),^[12] the Scottish Parliament building is located 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) east of Edinburgh city centre on the edge of the Old Town.^[13] The large site previously housed the headquarters of the Scottish and Newcastle brewery which were demolished to make way for the building. The boundary of the site is marked by the Canongate stretch of the Royal Mile on its northern side, Horse Wynd on its eastern side, where the public entrance to the building is, and Reid's Close on its western side.^[14] Reid's Close connects the Canongate and Holyrood Road on the southwestern side of the complex. The south eastern side of the complex is bounded by the Our Dynamic Earth visitor attraction which opened in July 1999, and Queen's Drive which fringes the slopes of the Salisbury Crags.^[15] A hectare (symbol ha) is a metric unit of surface area, equal to 100 ares (the name is a contraction of the SI prefix hecto + are). ... The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ... Scottish & Newcastle is one of the worlds leading brewers, and the largest British brewing company (unless London-based SABMiller, which does very little business in the UK, is counted as British). ... The Canongate is a small district at the heart of Scotlands capital city. ... Much of the Royal Mile is cobbled, as seen in this view looking east down the High Street past the old Tron Kirk. ... Our Dynamic Earth is a Scottish science centre and prominent conference venue and visitor attraction located in Holyrood, Edinburgh, beside the Scottish Parliament Building. ... Salisbury Crags is a series of tall cliffs rising from the middle of Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. ...

In the immediate vicinity of the building is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which is bordered by the broad expanse of Holyrood Park.^[14] To the south of the parliamentary complex are the steep slopes of the Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat. The Holyrood and Dumbiedykes areas, to the west of the site, have been extensively redeveloped since 1998, with new retail, hotel and office developments, including Barclay House, the new offices of The Scotsman Publications Ltd.^[16] Holyrood Palace The Palace of Holyroodhouse, more commonly known as Holyrood Palace, originally founded as a monastery by David I of Scotland in 1128, has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scotland since the 15th century. ... Holyrood Park is a royal park in central Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Arthurs Seat on a summer evening Arthurs Seat is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park, a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape in the centre of the city of Edinburgh, about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. ... The Scotsman Publications Limited (TSPL) is the parent company of The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, Edinburgh Evening News and Herald & Post newspapers, and of the award-winning Scotsman. ...

Project history

The final design model of the Scottish Parliament Building, unveiled in September 1999.

Before 1707, the Kingdom of Scotland was a sovereign independent state which had its own legislature - the Parliament of Scotland - which met, latterly, at Parliament House on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.^[17] The Act of Union, passed in 1707, created an incorporating political union between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England.^[17] The Union merged the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England into the Parliament of Great Britain which was housed at Westminster in London.^[17] As a consequence, Scotland was directly governed from London for the next 292 years without a legislature or a Parliament building of its own.^[17] Image File history File links Finalmodel. ... Image File history File links Finalmodel. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one strikes me with impunity) Capital Edinburgh¹ Language(s) Gaelic, Scots Government Monarchy King/Queen  - 843-860 Kenneth I  - 1587–1625 James VI  - 1702-1714 Anne Legislature Parliament of Scotland History  - United 843  - Union of the Crowns March 24, 1603  - Act of Union... Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme political (e. ... The parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland. ... The Robert Reid designed facade to Parliament Square Parliament House in Edinburgh, Scotland was home to the Scottish Parliament, and is now used by the High Court of Justiciary and the Court of Session. ... The Acts of Union were twin Acts of Parliament passed in 1707 (taking effect on 26 March) by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. ... A Political Union is a type of state which is composed of smaller states. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right)1 Capital Winchester, then London from 11th century. ... English parliament in front of the king c. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

A referendum of the Scottish electorate, held on 11 September 1997, approved the establishment of a directly-elected Scottish Parliament to legislate on most domestic affairs.^[18] Following this the Scottish Office, led by the then Secretary of State for Scotland, Donald Dewar, decided that a new purpose built facility would be constructed in Edinburgh, to house the Scottish Parliament.^[19] The Scotland referendum of 1997 was a pre-legislative referendum held in Scotland only, over whether there was support for the creation of an assembly for Scotland and whether there was support for an assembly with tax varying powers. ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Stub | Scotland | Departments of the United Kingdom Government ... The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilites for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). ... Donald Campbell Dewar (August 21, 1937 – October 11, 2000) was First Minister of Scotland from 1999 until his death in 2000. ...

An aerial view of the Scottish Parliament Building complex. The red tiles of Queensberry House are visible between the MSP Office block at the back of the complex and the Tower and Canongate Buldings at the front which house the debating chamber and committee rooms.

Initially, three sites in and around Edinburgh were considered as possible locations for the building, including St Andrew's House then home of the Scottish Office - later the Scottish Executive; Victoria Quay at Leith docks and Haymarket in the west end of the city.^[19] The Holyrood site was not an early contender as it was deemed that it would not be ready within the required timescale.^[20] However negotiations with Scottish and Newcastle, who owned the land, resulted in the company indicating that they would be able to vacate the site in early 1999.^[20] As a consequence, the Secretary of State for Scotland agreed that the Holyrood site merited inclusion on the shortlist of proposed locations.^[19][20] The Scottish Office commissioned feasibility studies of the specified areas in late 1997 and in January 1998, the Holyrood site was selected from the shortlist.^[21] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 549 pixelsFull resolution (1666 × 1144 pixel, file size: 524 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The text below is generated by a template which has been proposed for deletion. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 549 pixelsFull resolution (1666 × 1144 pixel, file size: 524 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The text below is generated by a template which has been proposed for deletion. ... A 17th century Grade-A listed building in Canongate, Edinburgh, incorporated into the Scottish Parliament Building. ... Southern aspect of St Andrews House on Calton Hill. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... Formerly a municipal burgh,[1] Leith is a town at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Haymarket is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland. ...

Following on from the site selection, the Scottish Office announced that an international competition would be held to find a designer for a new building to house the Parliament.^[22] A design committee was appointed under the chairmanship of Dewar, and was tasked with choosing from a shortlist of designs. Proposals were submitted from internationally renowned architects such as Rafael Vinoly, Michael Wilford and Richard Meier.^[16] Twelve designs were selected in March 1998, which were whittled down to five by the following May. The five final designs were put on public display throughout Scotland in June 1998. Feedback from the public displays showed that the designs of the Catalan architect Enric Miralles were amongst the most popular.^[19] The design team took account of public opinion on the designs and invited all five shortlisted entrants to make presentations on their proposed designs before announcing a winner.^[19] Rafael Viñoly, a world-famous architect, was born in 1944 in Uruguay. ... Michael Wilford CBE (born 1938, Hartfield, East Sussex) is a British architect. ... Richard Meier (born October 12, 1934 in Newark, New Jersey) is a late twentieth century American architect known for his use of the purist white. ... Miralles Santa Caterina Market Enric Miralles (1955 - July 3, 2000) was a Catalan architect. ...

On 6 July 1998, it was declared that the design of Enric Miralles was chosen, with work being awarded to EMBT/RMJM (Scotland) Ltd, a Spanish-Scottish joint venture design company, specifically created for the project.^[23] Construction commenced in June 1999, with the demolition of the Scottish and Newcastle brewery and the beginning of foundation work to support the structure of the building.^[24] MSP's began to move into the building complex in the Summer of 2004, with the official opening by the Queen taking place in October of the same year.^[24] July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... RMJM are a British architectural practice, founded in 1956 by Robert Matthew and Stirrat Johnson-Marshall. ...

Parliamentary complex

1 Public Entrance 2 Plaza 3 Pond 4 Press Tower 5 Debating Chamber 6 Tower one 7 Tower two 8 Tower three 9 Tower four 10 Tower five, Cannongate Bldg. 11 Main Staircase 12 MSP's Entrance 13 Lobby 14 Garden 15 Queensbery House 16 MSP building 17 Turf roof 18 Carpark and vehiclular entrance 19 Landscaped park

Miralles sought to design a parliament building that could represent and present a national identity. This intractably difficult question was tackled by displacing the question of identity into the landscape of Scotland. In a characteristicly poetic approach he talked about slotting the building into the land "in the form of a gathering situation: an amphitheatre, coming out from Arthur's Seat." where the building would reflect a dialogue between the landscape and the act of people sitting.^[10] So an early goal of the design was to open the building and its public spaces, not just to Edinburgh but to a more general concept of the Scottish landscape. Miralles intended to use the parliament to help build the end of Canongate - "not just another building on the street...it should reinforce the existing qualities of the site and its surroundings. In a subtle game of cross views and political implications."^[26] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 409 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (4215 × 6176 pixel, file size: 892 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) from commons File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Building Talk... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... The Colosseum in Rome, Italy. ...

The result was a non-hierarchical, organic collection of low-lying buildings intended to allow views of and blend in with the surrounding rugged scenery and symbolise the connection between nature and the Scottish people.^[16][27] As a consequence the building has many features connected to nature and land, such as the leaf shaped motifs of the roof in the Garden Lobby of the building, and the large windows of the debating chamber, committee rooms and the Tower Buildings which face the broad expanse of Holyrood Park, Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags.^[25] Inside the buildings, the connection to the land is reinforced by the use of Scottish rock such as gneiss and granite in the flooring and walls, and the use of oak and sycamore in the construction of the furniture.^[16] // The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) is a leading voluntary conservation organisation, working to protect Scotlands natural environment and the 90,000 species of animal indigineous to the country. ... Scotland has an incomparable variety of geology for an area of its size. ... Gneiss Gneiss (IPA: ) is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks. ... Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus, and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ... Sycamore is a name applied at various times and places to three very different types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. ...

The Parliament is actually a campus of several buildings, reflecting different architectural styles, with a total floor area of 31,000 m²; (312,000 ft²),^[28] providing accommodation for MSPs, their researchers and parliamentary staff. The buildings are comprised of a variety of features, with the most distinctive external characterisation being the roof of the Tower Buildings, said to be reminiscent of upturned boats on the shoreline.^[29] It is said that in the first design meeting, Miralles, armed with some twigs and leaves, thrust them onto a table and declared "This is the Scottish Parliament"^[30] reinforcing the unique and abstract nature of the parliamentary campus.^[30] A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... The square foot is an Imperial unit / U.S. customary unit (non-SI non-metric) of area, used in the United States. ...

The north-western boundaries of the site, the MSP's building, Queensberry House and the Canongate Building reinforce the existing medieval street patterns "expressing intimacy with the city and its citizens".^[16] The south-eastern aspect of the complex is extensively landscaped.^[15] Concrete "branches", covered in turf and wild grass extend from the parliamentary buildings, and provide members of the public with somewhere to sit and relax.^[16] Indigenous Scottish wildflowers and plants cover much of the area, blending the Parliament's grounds with the nearby Holyrood Park and Salisbury Crags.^[15] Oak, Rowan, Lime and Cherry trees have also been planted in the grounds.^[15] Adjacent to the landscaped area of the complex, where it meets Horse Wynd, there is an open plan piazza, with bike racks, seating and external lighting shaped like rocks incorporated into concrete paving. Three distinctive water features provide the centrepiece for this area.^[15]

Henry Raeburn's painting of The Skating Minister

"Trigger panels" either an abstract of the skating minister or curtains drawn back from the windows.

References to Scottish culture are also reflected in the building and particularly on some of the building's elevations. There are a series of "trigger panels", constructed out of timber or granite. Not to everyones taste,^[31] these have been said to represent anvils, hairdryers, guns, question marks or even the hammer and sickle. Shortly after the official opening of the building, Enric Miralles' widow, Benedetta Tagliabue, revealed that the design is simply that of a window curtain pulled back.^[32] Her late husband however, enjoying the use of ambiguous forms with multiple meanings, had previously said he would love the profile to evoke an icon of Scottish culture, the painting of Reverend Walker skating on ice.^[26] The architectural critic Charles Jencks finds this a particularly apt metaphor for balanced movement and democratic debate and also notes the irony that Miralles too was skating on ice with his designs for the building.^[10] Elsewhere, in the public area beneath the debating chamber, the curved concrete vaults carry various stylised Saltires. Here the architect intends another metaphor; by setting the debating chamber directly above the public area, he seeks to remind MSPs whilst sitting in the chamber that their power derives from the people below them.^[16] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Sir Henry Raeburn (March 4, 1756 - July 8, 1823) was a Scottish portrait-painter. ... The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, better known by its truncated title The Skating Minister, is an oil painting by Sir Henry Raeburn in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... If you want the band called Anvil, please go to Anvil (band) A blacksmith working iron with a hammer and anvil An anvil is a manufacturing tool, made of a hard and massive block of stone or metal used as a support for chiseling and hammering other objects, such as... For other uses, see Hammer and sickle (disambiguation). ... View of the Scottish Parliament Building from John Reid Close Benedetta Tagliabue (born 1963, Milan, Italy) is an architect currently practicing in Barcelona. ... The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, better known by its truncated title The Skating Minister, is an oil painting by Sir Henry Raeburn in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. ... Jencks Landform at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Charles Jencks (b. ... Look up metaphor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Saltire, the flag of Scotland, a white saltire with an official Pantone 300 coloured field. ...

The Scottish Parliament Building is open to visitors all year round.^[33] On non-sitting days, normally Mondays, Fridays and weekends as well as during parliamentary recess periods, visitors are able to view the Main Hall of the building and can access the public galleries of the debating chamber and main committee rooms.^[33] Guided tours are also available on non-sitting days and these allow visitors access to the floor of the chamber, the Garden Lobby, Queensberry House and committee rooms in the company of a parliamentary guide.^[33] On sitting days, members of the public must purchase tickets for the public galleries of both the chamber and committee rooms.^[33]
A 17th century Grade-A listed building in Canongate, Edinburgh, incorporated into the Scottish Parliament Building. ...

Sustainability

Roof line of the Parliament intended to evoke the crags of the Scottish landscape and, in places, upturned fishing boats. Solar panels can also be seen, part of the buildings sustainability strategy.

The Scottish Parliament Building was designed with a number of sustainability features in mind.^[34] The decision to build the Parliament on a brownfield site and its proximity to hubs of public transport are seen as sustainable, environmentally friendly features.^[34] A minimum of 80% of the electricity purchased for the building is required to come from renewable sources and solar panels on the Canongate Building are used for heating water in the complex.^[34] Image File history File linksMetadata Scottish_Parliament,_from_Salisbury_Crags. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Scottish_Parliament,_from_Salisbury_Crags. ... Map of Scotland Although Scotland is a relatively small country, with a land area of 78 772 km², its geography is highly varied, from the rural lowlands, to the barren highlands, and from large cities to uninhabited islands. ... Scottish fishing boats moored in Fraserburgh. ... A laundromat in California with flat-plate solar water heating collectors on its roof. ... Sustainability is an attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future. ... In town planning, brownfield land is an area of land previously used or built upon, as opposed to industry or mining and therefore may be contaminated by hazardous waste or pollution. ... The transport system in Scotland is generally well-developed. ... Solar Panel made by BP Solar The solar panels (photovoltaic arrays) on this small yacht at sea can charge the 12 V batteries at up to 9 Amps in full, direct sunlight. ...

A high level of insulation was used to keep the building warm during the winter months. This approach, however, brings with it the potential problem of overheating during the summer due to solar heat gains through the glazing, body heat and the use of computers and electric lighting. Standard solutions to the problem usually involve using energy intensive HVAC systems. The Scottish Parliament Building, however, reduces the requirements for such systems to only 20% of the accommodation by a variety of strategies. Natural ventilation is used wherever possible. A computerised management system senses the temperature in different parts of the Parliament and automatically opens windows to keep the building cool. During summer months, the building opens the windows during the night time when it is unoccupied and permits the heavy concrete floors and structure to absorb the cool temperatures which then help keep the building cool during the day. Some of the concrete floors are further cooled by water from 25 metres (80 ft) deep bore holes beneath the parliamentary campus which also provide water for the toilet facilities. The building achieves the highest rating in the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).^[10] All-air and air-water HVAC systems use air ducts, outlets, and inlets installed throughout their buildings. ... Water borehole in northern Uganda A borehole is a deep and narrow shaft in the ground used for extraction of fluid or gas reserves below the earths surface. ... The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is an organisation that carries out research, consultancy and testing for the construction and built environment sectors in the United Kingdom. ...

Debating chamber

View of the roofing structure of the debating chamber, where seating is arranged in a hemicycle rather than the adversarial layout of other Westminster style legislatures.

The debating chamber contains a shallow elliptical horseshoe of seating for the MSPs, with the governing party or parties sitting in the middle of the semicircle and opposition parties on either side, similar to other European legislatures. Such a layout is intended to blur political divisions and principally reflects the desire to encourage consensus amongst elected members.^[35] This is in contrast to the "adverserial" layout reminiscent of other Westminster style national legislatures, including the House of Commons, where government and opposition sit apart and facing one another.^[36] There are 131 desks and chairs on the floor of the chamber for all the elected members of the Scottish Parliament and members of the Scottish Executive. The desks are constructed out of oak and sycamore and are fitted with a lectern, a microphone and in-built speakers as well as the electronic voting equipment used by MSPs.^[35] Galleries above the main floor can accommodate a total of 255 members of the public, 18 guests and 34 members of the press.^[35] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1488 × 1984 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1488 × 1984 pixel, file size: 1. ... A semicircle is a two-dimensional geometric shape that forms half of a circle. ... The Houses of Parliament in London The Westminster system is a democratic, parliamentary system of government modeled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Houses of Parliament in London The Westminster system is a democratic, parliamentary system of government modeled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Electronic voting machine by Diebold Election Systems used in all Brazilian elections and plebiscites. ...

The most notable feature of the chamber is the roof.^[37] The roof is supported by a structure of laminated oak beams joined with a total of 112 stainless steel connectors (each slightly different), which in turn are suspended on steel rods from the walls. The connecting nodes were fabricated by welders for Scotland's oil industry.^[38] Such a structure enables the debating chamber to span over 30 metres (100 ft) without any supporting columns.^[38] In entering the chamber, MSPs pass under a stone lintel - the Arniston Stone - that was once part of the pre-1707 Parliament building, Parliament House. The use of the Arniston Stone in the structure of the debating chamber symbolises the connection between the historical Parliament of Scotland and the present day Scottish Parliament.^[39] Glued laminated timber or Glulam is a structural timber product composed of several layers of dimensioned lumber glued together. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus, and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ... The 630 foot high, stainless-clad (type 304L) Gateway Arch defines St. ... A welder is a tradesman who specialises in welding materials together. ... The headquarters of the Bank of Scotland, located on the Mound in Edinburgh. ... Pre-fabricated, pre-tensioned concrete lintels spanning garage doors. ... The Robert Reid designed facade to Parliament Square Parliament House in Edinburgh, Scotland was home to the Scottish Parliament, and is now used by the High Court of Justiciary and the Court of Session. ... The parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland. ...

Detail of the MSPs' seating consoles

Cut into the western wall of the debating chamber are laminated glass panels, of different shapes, intended to give a human dimension to the chamber.^[35] At night, light is shone through the glass panels and is projected onto the MSPs' desks to create the impression that the chamber is never unoccupied.^[35] Natural light diffuses into the chamber and is provided by "glass fins" which run down from light spaces in the ceiling.^[30] Glimpses out of the chamber are given to the landscape and city beyond, intentionally, to visually connect the MSPs to Scotland. The necessities of a modern parliament, banks of light, cameras, electronic voting and the MSPs' console have all been transformed into works of craft and art, displaying the sweeping curves and leaf motifs that inform the rest of the building. Such is the level of craftsmanship, a result of the union of Miralles' inventive designs, superb detailing by RMJM and excellent craftsmanship in execution, that Jencks was prompted to state that the [Parliament] is "an arts and crafts building, designed with high-tech flair. You really have to go back to the Houses of Parliament in London to get interior design of such a high creative level - in fact, it is more creative".^[11] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 656 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Building Talk:Scottish Parliament... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 656 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Building Talk:Scottish Parliament... Artichoke wallpaper, by John Henry Dearle for William Morris & Co. ...

On 2 March 2006, a beam in the roof of the debating chamber swung loose from its hinges during a debate, resulting in the evacuation of the debating chamber and the suspension of parliamentary business.^[40] Parliament moved to other premises while the whole roof structure was inspected and remedial works were carried out. The structural engineers, Arup, stated that the problem with the collapsed beam was entirely due to the failure of one bolt and the absence of another. There was no design fault.^[41] The engineers concluded, in a report to MSPs, that the damage is likely to have been done during construction work on the chamber roof, in the latter phases of the project.^[42] The report also indicated that whilst one of the bolts was missing, the other was broken and had damaged threads commensurate with being over tightened or jammed, which twisted the head off, or came close to doing so.^[42] March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (62nd in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Arup is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. ...

Garden Lobby

The Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament is an open social space noted for its distinctive leaf-shaped rooflights.

The Garden Lobby is at the centre of the parliamentary complex and connects the debating chamber, committee rooms and administrative offices of the Tower Buildings, with Queensberry House and the MSP building.^[43] The Garden Lobby is the place where official events as well as television interviews normally take place and it is used as an open social space for MSPs and parliamentary staff.^[43] The main feature of the Garden Lobby are the rooflights, which when viewed from above resemble leaves or the early Christian "vesica" shape and allow natural light into the building.^[44] The rooflights are made from stainless steel and the glasswork is covered by a lattice of solid oak struts.^[43] The route through the Garden Lobby up the main staircase to the debating chamber has been described as "one of the great processional routes in contemporary architecture."^[10] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Christianity. ...

MSP building

The distinctive windows of the MSP building inspired by Henry Raeburn's iconic painting - The Skating Minister.

The MSP building is connected to the Tower Buildings by way of the Garden Lobby and stands at the western end of the parliamentary complex, adjoining Reid's Close.^[45] The block contains offices for each MSP and two members of staff, fitted out with custom-designed furniture.^[45] The building is between four and six storeys in height, and is clad in granite mosaic.^[45] MSPs occupy 108 of the total 114 rooms in the building.^[45] Each office is divided into two parts - one for the MSP, with a floor space of 15 square metres (160 sq ft) and another part for their staff, which has a floor space of 12 square metres (130 sq ft).^[45] The most distinctive feature of the MSP block are the unusual windows which project out from the building onto the western elevation of the parliamentary complex, inspired by a combination of the repeated leaf motif and the traditional Scottish stepped gable.^[10] In each office, these bay windows have a seat and shelving and are intended as "contemplation spaces".^[46] Constructed from stainless steel and framed in oak, with oak lattices covering the glass, the windows are designed to provide MSPs with privacy and shade from the sun.^[45] Criticism has been levelled at the design of the windows by the MSPs themselves who claim that the design blocks out natural light from their offices.^[47] To remove the uniformity from the western side of the building, the windows jut out at different widths and angles.^[10] At its north end, the building is six storeys high (ground floor plus five) stepping down to four storeys (ground floor plus three) at the south end.^[45] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 896 KB) the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Building Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 896 KB) the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Building Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from... Sir Henry Raeburn (March 4, 1756 - July 8, 1823) was a Scottish portrait-painter. ... The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, better known by its truncated title The Skating Minister, is an oil painting by Sir Henry Raeburn in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. ... Mosaic is the art of decoration with small pieces of colored glass, stone or other material. ... Crow-steps on a Scottish baronial building. ...

Other buildings

The Public Entrance to the Scottish Parliament Building, which leads to the Main Hall.

Four tower buildings fan out along the front, or eastern edge, of the parliamentary complex and are notable for the curvature of their roofs.^[48] The Tower Buildings are home to the public entrance of the Scottish Parliament and to the Main Hall which is located on the eastern side of the parliamentary complex, beneath the debating chamber.^[48] A stone vaulted ceiling is the principal feature of the Main Hall, which has cross like representations carved into it, reminiscent of the Saltire - the national flag of Scotland.^[15] The main hall contains permanent exhibitions on the role of the Scottish Parliament, as well as public seating, a visitor information desk, a shop, lockers and a creche.^[49] Like much of the parliamentary complex, the materials used to construct the Main Hall and its vaulted ceiling include Kemnay Granite from Aberdeenshire in north east Scotland and Caithness stone which is used in much of the flooring in the buildings.^[15] Connected to the Tower Buildings in the eastern portion of the complex are the Media and Canongate Buildings, which house the IT and procurement departments of the Parliament, as well as media offices and the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).^[50] The centrepiece of the Canongate Building is a two-storey cantilever structure, with the building connected at one end by reinforced concrete and 18 metres (60 ft) of the building suspended above ground and protruding outwards unsupported by any columns.^[16][50] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2848x2144, 1210 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2848x2144, 1210 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scottish Parliament Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... The Lierne vault of the Liebfrauenkirche, Mühlacker 1482. ... The Saltire, the flag of Scotland, a white saltire with an official Pantone 300 coloured field. ... Day care is the care of a child during the day by a person other than the childs parents or legal guardians, often someone outside the childs immediate family. ... Kemnay is a village 16 miles west of Aberdeen in Scotland. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Caithness (Gallaibh in Gaelic)[1] is a committee area of Highland Council, Scotland; a lieutenancy area; and a registration county, Caithness was formerly a district within the Highland region from 1975 to 1996 and a local government county with its own county council from 1890 to 1975. ... Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA)is: the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. ... Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services at the best possible total cost of ownership, in the right quantity and quality, at the right time, in the right place for the direct benefit or use of the governments, corporations, or individuals generally via, but not limited to a contract. ... The cantilevered beam (green) projects from its supports (blue), balanced by the structure (red block), which supports the load (red arrow). ...

Originally dating from 1667, Queensberry House is an example of a seventeenth century Georgian Edinburgh townhouse and contrasts with the modern architecture of the rest of the parliamentary complex.^[16] For much of its modern history, Queensberry House has been used as a hospital, army barracks, a refuge and a geriatric hospital.^[51] In 1996, the geriatric hospital closed and the building was incorporated into the Scottish and Newcastle brewery, who owned the surrounding site. The building has been extensively refurbished, and returned to its original height of three storeys to provide facilities for the Presiding Officer, Deputy Presiding Officers, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament and various parliamentary support staff.^[51] Internally and externally the building has been strengthened with reinforced steel and concrete. The original timber flooring has been replaced throughout with a mixture of carpet, vinyl, oak and Caithness stone.^[51] Queensberry House also contains the Donald Dewar Room, dedicated to the founding First Minister of Scotland who died in October 2000. The room hosts the personal collection of books and other memorabilia donated to the Parliament by the family of Donald Dewar after his death.^[52] A 17th century Grade-A listed building in Canongate, Edinburgh, incorporated into the Scottish Parliament Building. ... Leinster House Henrietta Street Historically in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in some other countries, a townhouse (or a house in town) was a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. ... The Presiding Officer (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh in Scots Gaelic) is the Speaker, the person elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament to chair their meetings. ...

Artwork and features

The Canongate Wall façade of the parliamentary complex has quotations inscribed onto pieces of rock.

There is a wide variety of artwork and sculptures in the Scottish Parliament ranging from specially commissioned pieces to official gifts from overseas parliamentary delegations.^[53] The intention of including artwork and sculptures in the building reinforces the desire of Miralles that the project should reflect the nature of Scotland, particularly its land and people.^[54] In order to facilitate the incorporation of art into the building, a consultative steering group was established by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) under the chairmanship of Jamie Stone MSP with the remit of deciding which artworks should be chosen.^[54] Over 80 pieces of artwork have been chosen by the steering group to be displayed in the building.^[54] As well as artwork and sculptures, quotations, furniture and photography have been commissioned as part of the art strategy.^[54] A range of quotations have been inscribed onto the stonework in and around the parliamentary complex.^[55] Beneath the Canongate Building façade is the Canongate Wall, constructed from a variety of indigenous Scottish rocks such as Lewisian gneiss, Torridonian sandstone and Easdale slate. The stones are set into large concrete casts, each one inscribed with a quotation. There are a total of 24 quotations on the Canongate Wall.^[56] Etched along the lower stretch of the wall is a pictoral representation of the Old Town of Edinburgh based around a sketch by Enric Miralles showing the view of the Old Town from his bedroom window in the Balmoral Hotel.^[16][56] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 605 KB) Taken by me, November 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 605 KB) Taken by me, November 2006. ... The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is a body of the Scottish Parliament, at Holyrood which ensures that the parliament has the property, staff and resources it requires in order to operate. ... Jamie Stone (born 16 June 1954) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. ... Gneiss Gneiss (IPA: ) is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks. ... In geology, Torridonian describes a series of proterozoic arenaceous sedimentary rocks, extensively developed in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, and particularly in the district of upper Loch Torridon, a circumstance which suggested the name Torridon Sandstone, first applied to these rocks by James Nicol. ... The decaying pier on Easdale which was used to load the slate from the nearby quarries. ... Slate Thick slate fragment Slate roof Slate is a fine-grained, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism. ... The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ... the Iron Duke in bronze by John Steell The hotel from below the North Bridge The Balmoral Hotel is a luxury five star hotel and landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland which has won many awards[citation needed]. Originally opened in 1902 as the North British Hotel, a traditional railway hotel adjacent...

The Main Hall of the Parliament contains a number of distinctive features and sculptures, including the gold-plated Honours of Scotland sculpture. Presented by the Queen upon the opening of the Parliament building, the sculpture is modelled on the actual Honours of Scotland, the crown, sceptre and the sword of the state, and combines these three separate elements into one composition.^[57] During meetings of the original Parliament of Scotland, the actual Honours were always present but since 1819 they have been permanently housed in Edinburgh Castle.^[57] The 11 m (36 ft) long Visitor Information Desk also stands in the Main Hall.^[58] Commissioned by the art strategy group, the desk combines a unique design constructed from oak and sycamore and functions as a workstation for six members of parliamentary staff.^[58] At a cost of £88,000 the desk has been criticised by some over its price and functionality.^[59] The Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish regalia and the Scottish crown jewels, dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the British Isles. ... A crown is a symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a god, for whom the crown is traditionally one of the symbols of power and legitimacy (See Regalia for a broader treatment). ... A sceptre or scepter is an ornamental staff held by a ruling monarch, a prominent item of kingly regalia. ... It has been suggested that War-sword be merged into this article or section. ... The castle dominates the Edinburgh skyline as seen here from Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh Castle is an ancient fortress which, from its position atop Castle Rock, dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh, and is Scotlands most famous (and most visited) landmark. ...

Another feature gifted to the Scottish Parliament by the Queen, following its inauguration in July 1999, is the parliamentary mace. The mace is housed in a glass case in the debating chamber and has a formal, ceremonial role during meetings of the Parliament.^[60] The mace sits in front of the Presiding Officers' desk and is made from silver and inlaid with gold panned from Scottish rivers and inscribed with the words: Wisdom, Compassion, Justice and Integrity.^[35] The words - There shall be a Scottish Parliament (which are the first words of the Scotland Act 1998), are inscribed around the head of the mace.^[35] At the beginning of each session in the chamber, the case is removed to symbolise that a full meeting of the Parliament is taking place. An advance on the club, a mace is a strong, heavy wooden, metal-reinforced, or metal shaft, with a head made of stone, copper, bronze, iron or steel. ... A sluice box used in placer mining Placer mining (pronounced plass-er) is a open-pit or open-cast form of mining by which certain valuable minerals are extracted from the earth without tunneling. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. ...

Critical reaction

The Committee Rooms of the Scottish Parliament reflect the unique architectural style of Miralles, which has won much critical acclaim.

Public reaction to the design of the building has been mixed.^[61] In the first 6 months of the building being open to the public, 250,000 people visited it, which Presiding Officer George Reid has said showed the public were "voting with their feet".^[62] Critics of the building, such as Margo MacDonald MSP, have pointed out that the high number of visitors does not prove that all of them like the building. As well as cost, criticisms of the building stem primarily from the modernist and abstract architecture, the quality of the building work and the location of the building.^[63] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 2129 KB) Summary Russ McGinn, Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 2129 KB) Summary Russ McGinn, Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The Presiding Officer (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh in Scots Gaelic) is the person elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament to chair their meetings. ... Rt Hon George Reid MSP George Newlands Reid PC MSP (born 4 June 1939) is the Presiding Officer (Speaker) of the Scottish Parliament. ... Margo MacDonald was born in 1945 in Hamilton, Scotland and educated at Hamilton Academy, she trained as a teacher of physical education. ... Modern architecture is a broad term given to a number of building styles with similar characteristics, primarily the simplification of form and the elimination of ornament, that first arose around 1900. ...

The mixed public reaction contrasts sharply with the response from architectural critics. Its rampant complexity, iconography and layering of meaning and metaphor are widely regarded as producing a building which is "quite a meal".^[10] This prompted Catherine Slessor, writing in the Architectural Review, to describe it as "A Celtic-Catalan cocktail to blow both minds and budgets, it doesn't play safe, energetically mining a new seam of National Romanticism refined and reinterpreted for the twenty-first century."^[16] Jencks attempted to dampen criticism of the cost overruns by questioning how 'value for money' might be judged. For him, the building is not just a functional or economic enterprise, it is an exploration of national identity and in comparing it to other comparable assemblies, not least the Palace of Westminster, he argues the cost is comparable.^[10] The conception of the building has been singled out for praise, particularly in the way it re-establishes Scotland's traditional focus towards mainland Europe and its values by means of the layout of the non-adversarial debating chamber and the creation of the public spaces in front of the building, "where people can meet and express themselves as a force". In an era of the Bilbao effect and the iconic building, Jencks is impressed that rather than being a monumental building, as is usual for capital landmarks, the building creates a complex union of nature and culture that nestles itself into the landscape.^[10] The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine which has been published in London since 1896. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ... Continental Europe refers to the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. ... The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, along the Nervión River, Bilbao, Frank Gehry Starchitect or also stararchitect [star + architect] is a normally pejorative term used to describe architects whose celebrity and critical acclaim have transformed them into idols of the architecture world and may even have given them some degree of...

The building has also won a number of awards, including an award at the VIII Biennial of Spanish Architecture, the RIAS Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture, and the 2005 Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious architecture award.^[64] The inclusion of the Scottish Parliament Building on the shortlist for the Stirling Prize in 2004, led the judges to describe the building as "a statement of sparkling excellence".^[65]. In October 2005 the building was identified as Scotland's 4th greatest modern building by readers of Prospect magazine. The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, or RIAS, is a professional body for architects in Scotland. ... 30 St Mary Axe (London, England). ... In 2005, Prospect magazine published a list of the 100 best modern Scottish buildings, as voted for by its readers. ... Not to be confused with Prospect (magazine), which specialises in current affairs Prospect is a quarterly architecture magazine published is Scotland and North West England. ...

Problems

Timeline of cost increases

The construction of the Scottish Parliament Building has generated controversy in several respects. Rising costs and the use of public money to fund the project generated most controversy.^[7] Initial estimates for constructing a new building were projected to be between £10m and £40m in 1997.^[7] By early 2004, the estimated final cost of the project was set at £430m, some ten times greater.^[66]

July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 160 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... vat can be a type of barrel used for storage. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood KT PC KBE (born March 31, 1938) is a British and Scottish politician and a Liberal Democrat member of the UK House of Lords. ... Rt Hon George Reid MSP George Newlands Reid PC MSP (born 4 June 1939) is the Presiding Officer (Speaker) of the Scottish Parliament. ...

Controversy

The unique architecture of the Scottish Parliament was complicated by design changes and cost increases.

Notwithstanding the level of controversy surrounding cost, the Scottish Parliament Building proved controversial in a number of other respects: the decision to construct a new building, the choice of site, the selection of a non-Scottish architect, and the selection of Bovis as construction manager after having earlier been excluded from the shortlist.^[7] In 1997, the initial cost of constructing a new Parliament building was given as £40 million, a figure produced by the Scottish Office, prior to the September 1997 devolution referendum, and subsequently revealed to be the figure for housing MSPs.^[67] Further controversy surrounding the project sprang from the selection of the Holyrood site, which was a late entrant onto the list of sites to be considered, and the rejection of the Royal High School on Calton Hill, long thought to be the home of any future devolved Scottish Parliament. After a formal visit to the Royal High School by Dewar and his aides on 30 May 1997, it was rejected as unsuitable on the grounds of size and location.^[71] ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2038 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: 31st G8 summit ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2038 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: 31st G8 summit ... Bovis Homes Group plc is a second tier national British housebuilding company based in Longfield in Kent. ... The Royal High School (RHS) in Edinburgh can trace its roots back to 1128, and is generally considered as the oldest school in Scotland and one of the oldest in Europe; it may even be one of the oldest surviving in the world. ... Calton hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Derbyshire, showing Olivine Diorite magma chamber. ... Devolution or home rule is the granting of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Control of the building project passed from the Scottish Office to the cross-party Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) on 1 June 1999, headed by the Parliament's then Presiding Officer, Sir David Steel, at a time of increasing costs.^[7] Rising costs sprang from the need for a formal entrance and the need to accommodate parliamentary staff in light of better knowledge of how Parliament was working at its primary location on the Royal Mile, where it was clear there were staff overcrowding problems.^[71] With the cost increases in mind, and heightened media interest in the Holyrood Project,^[7] the Members of the Scottish Parliament held a debate on whether to continue with construction on 17 June 1999 voting by a majority of 66 to 57 in favour to complete the project.^[72] The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is a body of the Scottish Parliament, at Holyrood which ensures that the parliament has the property, staff and resources it requires in order to operate. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

In August 1999, the architect informed the project group that the Parliament would need to be further increased in size by 4,000 square metres (43,000 sq ft).^[7] A subsequent costing revealed that taking into account the increased floorspace net construction costs had risen to £115m by September 1999.^[7] Early in 2000, the SPCB commissioned an independent report by the architect John Spencely. The report concluded that savings of 20% could be made on the current project and that scrapping the project completely at that stage or moving to another site would entail additional costs of £30m.^[73] Spencely also cited poor communication between the SPCB and construction officials as increasingly costly.^[73] Given the outcomes of the Spencely report, MSPs voted to continue with the construction project on the Holyrood site in a debate in the Scottish Parliament on 5 April 2000.^[74] April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The project was also complicated by the deaths of Miralles in July 2000, of Dewar the following October and the existence of a multi-headed client consisting of the SPCB, the Presiding Officer and an architectural advisor. The client took over the running of the project from the Scottish Executive (formerly the Scottish Office) while it was already under construction. Subsequently, the events of 9/11 led to further design changes, especially with regard to security, which again resulted in rising costs.^[7] However, it was later rejected that the re-designs required to incorporate greater security into the building structure were the "single biggest" factor affecting the increased costs of the project.^[7] The date that commonly refers to the attacks on United States citizens on September 11, 2001 (see the September 11, 2001 Attacks). ...

By March 2004 the cost had reached the sum of £430m (compared to an original budget of £55m in July 1998 when the architects were appointed).^[7] This equates to £85 for each of the 5.1 million people in Scotland.^[75] A report published by the Auditor General for Scotland in July 2004 specifically identified elements that contributed to both increasing costs and the delay in completing the project. His report criticised the overall management of the project and stated that had the management and construction process been executed better, costs could have been reduced.^[76] The report attempted to identify the reasons why there had been an acceleration in cost from £195m in September 2000 to £431m in February 2004 and concluded that over 2000 design changes to the project were a major factor.^[76] The building was finally certified for occupation in the Summer of 2004, with the official opening in October of the same year, three years behind schedule.^[7]

Fraser Inquiry

Jack McConnell, the First Minister announced in May 2003, that a public inquiry would be set up to investigate the building project.

In May 2003 the First Minister, Jack McConnell, announced a major public inquiry into the handling of the building project. The inquiry (known as the Holyrood Inquiry, or the Fraser Inquiry) was headed by Lord Fraser of Carmyllie and held at the Scottish Land Court in Edinburgh. The inquiry took evidence from architects, civil servants, politicians and the building companies. Evidence was taken over the course of 49 hearings and the final report ran to 300 pages.^[9] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Right Honourable Jack Wilson McConnell MSP (born June 30, 1960 in Irvine, North Ayrshire) is a Scottish politician, leader of the Labour Party in Scotland and the third and current First Minister of Scotland. ... The First Minister (First Meinister in Scots; Prìomh Mhinistear in Scots Gaelic) is the leader of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the reconvened Scottish Parliament. ... In the politics and government of Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, a public inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by the government. ... The Right Honourable Jack Wilson McConnell MSP (born June 30, 1960 in Irvine, North Ayrshire) is a Scottish politician, leader of the Labour Party in Scotland and the third and current First Minister of Scotland. ... In the politics and government of Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, a public inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by the government. ... Peter Lovat Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie, PC, QC (b. ... The Scottish Land Court is based in Edinburgh and deals with disputes relating to agricultural tenancies between landlords and tenants. ...

Criticisms

Presenting his report in September 2004, Lord Fraser told how he was "astonished" that year after year the ministers who were in charge were kept so much in the dark over the increases in cost estimates.^[9] He also stated that a Parliament building of sufficient scale could never have been built for less than £50m, and was "amazed" that the belief that it could be was perpetuated for so long.^[9] He believed that from at least April 2000, when MSPs commissioned the Spencely Report to decide whether the building should continue, it should have been realised that the building was bound to cost in excess of £200m.^[9] Furthermore, £150m of the final cost was wasted as a result of design delays, over-optimistic programming and uncertain authority.^[9]

Despite having only an outline design, the designers RMJM/EMBT (Scotland) Ltd stated without foundation that the building could be completed within a £50m budget.^[77] Nevertheless, these estimates were believed by officials.^[77] The two architectural practices in the RMJM and EMBT joint venture operated dysfunctionally and failed to communicate effectively with each other and the project manager.^[77] The death of Miralles also gave rise to a substantial period of disharmony.^[77] The Brief emphasised the importance of design and quality over cost, and was not updated despite considerable evolution of the design.^[9] Ministers were not informed of grave concerns within the Scottish Office over the cost of the project and officials failed to take the advice of the cost consultants.^[77]

The Scottish Office decided to procure the construction work under a "construction management contract", rather than under a Private Finance Initiative, in order to speed construction, but without properly evaluating the financial risks of doing so, and - in a decision that Fraser stated "beggars belief" - without asking Ministers to approve it.^[9][77] This was one of the two most flawed decisions which the report singled out,^[9] the other was the insistence on a rigid programme.^[77] Officials decided that rapid delivery of the new building was to be the priority, but that quality should be maintained. It was therefore inevitable that the cost would suffer. The client was obsessed with early completion and failed to understand the impact on cost and the completion date if high-quality work and a complex building were required.^[77] In attempting to achieve early completion, the management contractor produced optimistic programmes, to which the architects were unwise to commit.^[77] The main causes of the slippage were delays in designing a challenging project that was to be delivered against a tight timetable using an unusual procurement route.^[77] Construction Management refers either to the study and practice of the managerial and technological aspects of the construction industry (including construction, construction science, construction management, and construction technology), or to a business model where one party to a construction contract serves as a construction consultant, providing both design and construction... The Private Finance Initiative specifies a method, developed initially by the United Kingdom government, to provide financial support for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) between the public and private sectors. ... Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services at the best possible total cost of ownership, in the right quantity and quality, at the right time, in the right place for the direct benefit or use of the governments, corporations, or individuals generally via, but not limited to a contract. ...

The inquiry was widely seen as clearing Donald Dewar for the initial mishandling of the project.^[78] This came after speculation suggesting that Dewar was aware that the initial costs of a new Parliament Building, circulated to the public, were too low.^[79][80] However in his report, Lord Fraser stated "there was no evidence whatsoever, that he [Dewar] deliberately or knowingly misled MSPs. He relied on cost figures given to him by senior civil servants."^[77] The inquiry also resisted the temptation to "lay all of the blame at the door of a deceased wayward architectural genius [Miralles].....costs rose because the client wanted increases and changes or at least approved of them in one manifestation or other."^[77]

Reaction and recommendations

In his report, Lord Fraser set out a number of recommendations stemming from the inquiry. Primarily, in terms of design selection and when using an international architect linking with a Scottish based firm, the report advised that a full analysis of the compatibility of different working cultures and practices needs to be made.^[77]

Lord Fraser advocated that when "construction management" contracts were used, civil servants or local government officials should evaluate the risks of such a contract and set out the advantages and disadvantages of embarking upon such a route before their political superiors.^[77] Alongside that recommendation, Lord Fraser stated that independent advisors should be retained and have the ability to communicate their advice to ministers, without those views being "filtered" by public officials.^[77] Similarly, where civil servants are part of large project management contracts, clear guidelines of governance should be set out and be as rigorous as standards applied in the private sector.^[77] The local government of Scotland is organised into 32 unitary authorities covering the mainland and islands of Scotland. ... The private sector of a nations economy consists of all that is outside the state. ...

Following publication of the report, Jack McConnell stated that the Fraser recommendations would be fully implemented, and that fundamental reform of the civil service was already under way, with trained professionals being recruited to handle such projects.^[81] The First Minister emphasised that he was keen to see an increase in the specialist skills of civil servants, in order for them to be able to administer projects of such magnitude in the future.^[81] John Elvidge, the most senior civil servant in Scotland, admitted that best practice had not been followed and apologised for the way the project had been handled.^[82] He did not rule out the possibility of taking disciplinary action against civil service staff,^[82] although subsequent Scottish Executive investigations resulted in no action being taken against individual public officials involved with the project.^[83] Sir John Elvidge KCB is Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Executive. ...

Debating chamber, showing the viewing gallery and roof construction.

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (9098x1858, 3566 KB) own image stitched from 6 photos inside view of the Scottish Pariament debating chamber from the visitor area. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (9098x1858, 3566 KB) own image stitched from 6 photos inside view of the Scottish Pariament debating chamber from the visitor area. ...

See also

• Architecture
• Building construction
• List of buildings
• Politics of Scotland

This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Construction on the North Bytown Bridge in Ottawa, Canada. ... This is a list of famous or notable buildings with articles about them. ... The Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Scotland one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. ...

Notes

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... February 22 is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 7 is the seventh day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... -1... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... -1... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... -1... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... -1... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... In the Gregorian Calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), at which point there will be 13 days remaining to the end of the year. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 361st in leap years. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 29 is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... January 2 is the second day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... In the Gregorian Calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), at which point there will be 13 days remaining to the end of the year. ...

References

• Bain, S (2004): "Holyrood - The Inside Story", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-2065-6
• Balfour, A & McCrone, G (2005): "Creating a Scottish Parliament", StudioLR, ISBN 0-9550016-0-9
• Black, D (2001): "All the First Minister's Men - The truth behind Holyrood", Birlinn, ISBN 1-84158-167-4
• Dardanelli, P (2005): "Between Two Unions: Europeanisation and Scottish Devolution", Manchester University Press, ISBN 0-7190-7080-5
• Miralles, E & Tagliabue, B (2001): "Work in Progress", Actar, ISBN 84-96185-13-3
• Taylor, Brian (1999): "The Scottish Parliament", Polygon, Edinburgh, ISBN 1-902930-12-6
• Taylor, Brian (2002): "The Scottish Parliament: The Road to Devolution", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1759-0
• Taylor, Brian (2002): "Scotland's Parliament, Triumph and Disaster", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1778-7

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Scottish Parliament

Parliament

• Live feeds from Scottish Parliament
• The Scottish Parliament - About Holyrood

The Fraser Report:

• Lord Fraser's report
• BBC Analysis of the Holyrood Inquiry

The architecture:

• Review of the building in The Guardian newspaper
• Article on construction of various elements of the building
• Scottish Parliament design review in ArchitectureWeek

Coordinates: 55°57′7″N, 3°10′29″W Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...