ian begg and the scottish vernacular

7/30/2019 Ian Begg and the Scottish Vernacular

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IAN BEGG AND THE SCOTTISH VERNACULAR

This is the Radisson BLU Hotel Edinburgh, on the famous Royal Mile in the middle of thecity. It was designed by the Scottish architect Ian Begg, who has restored and built many


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beautiful buildings in Scotland. This hotel, which according toscottish-places.infofilled

anotorious gap site, was completed in 1990! It's a very traditional building, designed in a sort

of local vernacular style, but it's not made to look old by applying fake ageing techniques or

anything of the sort.

On the side of the main entrance, there is aplaque, inscribed with the words "AL THIS

WARK WAS BEGUN DANCON ON 10-JANUARY-1989 AN ENDIT BE THEM ON 31-

MARCH-1990", leaving no doubt as to the building's age. There's another plaque at the foot

of the tower (covered up in the top picture, but normally visible), clearly stating the year the

hotel was built "AD 1989". I did not get to see much of the interiors, but I did pay a visit totheir elegant lobby, in which I found friendly staff, who unfortunately were not able to tell me

the name of the architect. In my opinion, they should be informing their guests about this very

special building and the architect behind it.
http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8674.htmlhttp://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8674.htmlhttp://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8674.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commemorative_plaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commemorative_plaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commemorative_plaquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commemorative_plaquehttp://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst8674.html


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Ian Begg has a passion for everything Scottish, and is the architect behind many new

buildings in this and related styles. Onhis excellent websiteyou can read more about his

work, and even see an excerpt from a series of BBC programmes on "The Scottish House"from the early 1970s (which, by the way, should be published online, on Youtube or

elsewhere). An excerpt:

This very sincere and talented man is also the architect of another beautiful urban Scottish

building, St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, in Glasgow.
http://www.ianbeggarchitect.co.uk/http://www.ianbeggarchitect.co.uk/http://www.ianbeggarchitect.co.uk/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-QZ1nzTrFY/UD4Avvq08oI/AAAAAAAAA0k/bwMYIuBArcw/s1600/P1080546.JPGhttp://www.ianbeggarchitect.co.uk/


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Photo courtesy ofvisitscotland.com

Constructed in 1993, the building blends in with its surroundings while still retaining a

character of its own. The design is intended to reflect the now lost medieval Glasgow Castle,

which formerly occupied the site, but sadly was torn down at the end of the eighteenth

century. Apart from exhibitions on religious life in Scotland, the building also features a Zen

garden, a courtyard used for markets, festivals concerts, as well as stain More pictures of the

exteriors, interiors and even a model of the building can seen atUndiscovered Scotland.
http://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/st-mungo-museum-of-religious-life-and-art-p246631http://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/st-mungo-museum-of-religious-life-and-art-p246631http://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/st-mungo-museum-of-religious-life-and-art-p246631http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/stmungomuseum/index.htmlhttp://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/stmungomuseum/index.htmlhttp://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/stmungomuseum/index.htmlhttp://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/stmungomuseum/index.htmlhttp://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/st-mungo-museum-of-religious-life-and-art-p246631


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Zen garden


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Playing Gamalan instruments and dancing in the courtyard


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The courtyard during Merchant City Festival


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This photo ofSt. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Discovering the work of Mr Begg has certainly motivated me to make more trips to Scotland,and learn more about this interesting designer and his thoughts on architecture. Wish me luck!

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THE BOATHOUSE

ORGANISED COMPLEXITY

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Posted byKristian Hoff-Andersen at16:29Labels:Colour,Complexity,Courtyards,Gardening,Genius loci,Landscape,Natural materials,Ornaments,Reconstruction,Stone,

Traditional architecture,Urban architecture,Vernacular architecture

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Kristian Hoff-Andersen

Bergen, Norway

A young man studying to be an architect at Bergen Arkitekthgskole (Bergen School

of Architecture), a strange and wonderful place in the city of Bergen, Western

Norway. I'm engaged in environmental questions, love to read, swim and walk

barefoot. Through this blog, I'm trying to document my education, observations and

development as an architect. Unless otherwise stated, the pictures have been taken by

yours truly, and can be used freely with credit.

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IAN BEGG AND THE SCOTTISH VERNACULAR

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ian begg and the scottish vernacular

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