Scottish Parliament
Wikimedia Commons
At the foot of the Royal Mile, the Scottish Parliament looks unlike most government buildings. Its unusual shapes and materials sit between the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the rocky slopes of Salisbury Crags.
Designed by Enric Miralles, the Scottish Parliament opened in 2004, following the restoration of devolved parliamentary government in Scotland. Rather than one imposing block, Miralles developed a series of connected spaces with different forms. Its architecture prompted debate from the outset and remains a conspicuous departure from familiar government buildings. The location matters too. Beside a working royal palace and below Holyrood Park, Parliament occupies part of Edinburgh where different forms of Scottish political authority stand close together. The complex also incorporates the older Queensberry House.
The building changes character as you walk around it. Rooflines shift, windows project at unusual angles and different materials interrupt a continuous façade. The Debating Chamber has a distinctive form, while the public spaces and grounds connect with the wider site. Seen together, the older royal palace, the Parliament and Salisbury Crags occupy an unusually compact setting.
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