Online vision for Aberdeen’s Union Terrace Gardens bid

By FRANK URQUHART
Published on Wednesday 15 February 2012 09:38

ARCHITECTS behind the winning vision for the controversial transformation of Aberdeen’s Union Terrace Gardens have unveiled an animated fly-through of the design to try to win the backing of the city’s public in a referendum vote.

New York-based architects Diller Scofidio & Renfro yesterday unveiled the detailed animation of their futuristic “Granite Web” vision for the future of the Victorian gardens.

The referendum count is due to take place on 2 March and voting papers were to be sent out today.

Charles Renfro, said: “The fly-through animation lets viewers experience how incredible the City Garden will look and feel. It really allows the viewer to imagine using the garden.”

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Huntly Loon

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:23 PM

Well I like it. The current Union Terrace Garden is not fit for purpose for several reasons. The only redeeming features are the mature trees along the Union Terrace side. Access is available only from Union Terrace, whereas the heart of Aberdeen lies to the opposite Belmont Street side. The Gardens fail to make full use of the available space in that on the north side there is the dual carriageway and the railwayline. With those covered the gardens double in size and with integrated access to Belmont Street there is a potentially pedestrianised hear that could stretch via nice restaurants, pubs and individual shops on to the quiet green St Nicholas Kirkyard, on to the plaza over the St Nicholas Centre and onto Provost Skene's House which coulf be made another public open green space on the site of the defunct St Nicholas House. With the beautifully restored Marischal College building to the impressinve facades of Union Terrace we could have a great central city feature of pedestrian precincts gardens and nice shops within an area bounded by Broad Street, Upperkirkgate, Schoolhill, Union Terrace and Union Street. The whole area then has easy access to the Trinity Centre, Bonaccord Centre and Nicholas Centre shopping malls. Easy access is likewise afforded to the Art Gallery, the Central Library and His Majesty's Theatre. as well as Provost Skene's house and Marischal College. The proposed scheme is visionary and it would mean an effort would be made to tidy up the area by the Triple Kirks. Aberdonians would be foolish to not go ahead with the proposed plan. UTG is at present underutilised and inaccesible.

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UglyAmerican

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 09:06 PM

What a horrible design! Did these people learn nothing from the mistakes of the mid-20th century?

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Graham Slater

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 03:24 PM

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Alan Craigie

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 08:43 AM

Smoke and mirrors. In 20 years the granite web will look like one of those 70's architectural blunders we see dotted around the country. Totally out of place in it's surroundings. A monument to crass poor taste, a long-term embarrassment to the people of Aberdeen and Scotland

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