Donald Trump hotel criticised as historical pastiche

Published on Friday 26 February 2010 22:03

THE design team spearheading Donald Trump's massive golf resort development were yesterday warned against turning the iconic luxury hotel planned for the site into a "historical pastiche".

• An artist's impression of the proposed 450 bedroom hotel

The new masterplan for the American tycoon's 1billion development at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire has been generally praised by Scotland's design watchdog, Architecture and Design Scotland (ADS).

But a report by the government advisory body has also voiced concerns about the proposals for the 450-bedroom luxury hotel which will be one of the key components of the transformation of the spectacular coastal site.

The experts state that they are "not convinced" by the quality of emerging designs for the hotel and that the prominent building at the site should reflect Scotland as a modern and vibrant nation instead of trying to recreate a "historical pastiche".

The 1,000-page masterplan document, detailing how Mr Trump plans to transform the Menie links into the "world's greatest golf course", was handed to officials at Aberdeenshire Council earlier this month by Gareth Hoskins Architects, one of Scotland's leading design companies.

It includes detailed proposals for the construction of the main championship golf course at the site. Detailed plans for phase two and three of the development – the hotel and resort accommodation, and residential village – are still to be released.

• Analysis: Donald Trump hotel - 'It has an imposing but rather urban design. It is a big city building'

ADS states in its report on the Menie development that the watchdog is "generally supportive" of the masterplan.

However, it then goes on to raise serious concerns about some of the buildings on the site, saying: "We feel that the designs for many of the individual buildings, in particular those within the resort village, require further work and are as yet unproven as successfully integrated pieces of architecture."

Referring to the hotel development, ADS state that some of the "historical precedents" for the building referred to in the masterplan are "entirely inappropriate" in the context of the overall development.

The experts continue: "Though still of the opinion that a landmark building could work well on the site, we feel strongly that a prominent building on such a very sensitive site should reflect Scotland as a modern and vibrant nation, rather than try to recreate historical pastiche."

Sarah Malone, vice-president of Trump International Golf Links Scotland, suggested changes could be made to the individual buildings.

She said: "As is expected at this stage in the masterplanning process, the report acknowledges that the designs of the buildings are in outline form, and ADS will continue to be engaged in the next stage of process which includes the detailed design and architecture proposals of the various built elements of the project."