Edinburgh Evening News

Architecture is often called upon as a source of imagery for nation building. This is particularly true of those buildings expressly designed to house some national institution, such as a parliament. This much is obvious. But, in light of the debate surrounding the new Scottish Parliament, the more subtle question is just how such architecture manages to stimulate collective national imagining. We can think of older examples such as the US's Capitol and Westminster, where the meanings have successfully settled and become deeply embedded within their respective national imaginaries. These buildings have become powerful national emblems, not simply because they have memorable forms, but also because they provoke "conversations" with the communities they serve, whether through visiting the building itself or by seeing it in the media. The meaningfulness of these buildings is not written in stone, but is negotiated over time.