Architect Neil Gillespie OBE takes the Saltire Society’s 1941 publication Building Scotland as his starting point. Published during the war Alan Reiach and Robert Hurd’s book looked to a future where good architecture would be an intrinsic part of Scottish civic society. The post-war void would be filled with the clean lines of new hospitals and social housing. While there was much hope and optimism for the built environment many of the buildings disappointed. Even today architects are still hamstrung by restricted budgets and short lead times, argues Gillespie. With little time allowed for design development it is small wonder that so many buildings lackthe refinement and style that Reiach and Hurd hankered for.
In this Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design the Saltire Society is delighted to publish this provocative take on what’s wrong with so much of modern architecture: from its uniformity to its reliance on system-built prefabrication, from the threat globalisation imposes on all things local and distinct to the curse of the “starchitect”.
Neil Gillespie’s call is clarion clear: “Scotland needs to regain a relevant architecture culture that places people first through dignified and appropriate design".
About Neil Gillespie
Neil Gillespie is director and chairman of Reiach and Hall Architects and has led a number of our high profile projects: including Nucleus, the winner of the 2018 RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award; the 2017 & 2016 RIBA Stirling Prize nominated City of Glasgow College; the 2015 RIBA Stirling Prize nominated Maggie’s Lanarkshire; The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney –RIAS Best Building in Scotland2008, a 2009 finalist for the Mies van der Rohe Award and winner of the European Union Award for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award 2009.
He is an experienced academic and is currently visiting Professor at Scott Sutherland School of Architecture Aberdeen and the University of Sheffield. He has also been Honorary Geddes Professor at The University of Edinburgh and has been a design critic at many architecture schools across the UK. Neil lectures extensively, on architectural theory and practice both in the UK and internationally.In addition to his practice and teaching commitments; Neil is an Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), he was a member of the RIBA Honours Committee –responsible for selecting the RIBA Gold Medal recipient –and has also been an RIBA Awards Judge on a number of occasions.He is on the board of the ae_Foundation, has been a member of the Scottish Arts Council Capital Lottery Funding Committee; a Trustee of the Scottish Sculpture Trust; a board member of the EdinburghFilm Theatre and the Lighthouse, Glasgow; a participant in the City of Edinburgh Design Review Committee, as well as being Architectural Advisor to the V&A Museum Development, Dundee.In 2014, Neil and Reiach and Hall represented Scotland in a month-long residency at the Venice Biennale, entitled ‘Scotland + Venice’. In 2016 he was recognised on the Debrett’s 500 and was awarded OBE for Services to Architecture in the Queen’s Honours List.