Trump clubhouse divides opinion
September 22 2011
In this the architect notes: “It looks like some brash, gung-ho American money man’s idea of what a traditional ‘Scottish golf house’ might look like – which, of course, is exactly what it is."
Trumps plans were also eviscerated by Andy MacMillan, professor Emeritus of Architecture at The University of Glasgow who informed The Times: “I feel strongly enough to object to this building. It is going too far.
“This is not even worthy of Disneyland. It is gross. It is out of character, and it doesn’t begin to exploit the landscape around it – it just stands there.”
Over at the Scotsman meanwhile Neil Baxter, president of the RIAS, was busy singing its praises: “It does harken back to a long history. This is not a work of overt modernism. It’s a work that connects with the historic, but it’s honest in the sense that it’s not saying that this is a building that dates from 1850. It’s a building which might have echoes from 1850, but it’s very much of now.
“It’s feeding on a tradition of golf architecture.”
Neil Lamb, senior lecturer at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment, meanwhile chose to sit on the fence, writing (also in the Scotsman): “This image of a dominant ‘Victorian country pile’ is not uncommon in our landscape and resides in the best traditions of well-established international golf clubhouses, engendering notions of establishment and tradition, probably matching the aspiration and scale of such a project.
“But at this stage the design remains ‘strategic’ and until we have more detail, the jury is still out and its ultimate success will reside in the detailed resolution.”
Meanwhile John Glenday, editor of Urban Realm magazine, told the Daily Record: “Trump’s design team have scored a bogey before the first shot has even been driven down the Menie fairways.
“The misguided attempt at blending in with the historic MacLeod House is as artificial as Trump’s toupee and makes a mockery of this area of outstanding natural beauty.”
The Scotsman reported the gushing praise of architects body RIAS toward Trump's Menie offering
The Times reported a very different story with Andy MacMillan and Malcolm Fraser both giving the clubhouse a drubbing
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5 Comments
#1 Posted by Jaco on 22 Sep 2011 at 11:56 AM
the offshore wind-turbines have grounds to complain that their view is ruined
#2 Posted by Jimbo on 22 Sep 2011 at 12:13 PM
I have never seen, in terms of the proposals, or read, in terms of the words of support, so much sh*te in my life. This goes so far beyond a pastiche, it’s taking the pisstiche…
#3 Posted by richard heggie on 22 Sep 2011 at 12:38 PM
"The clubhouse will be the first of thousands of structures planned for the £750m resort".
It would be interesting to see how this building sits in the context of the design statement for the Menie development - is it setting a marker for all the other buildings which will follow? If so, what will be the cumulative effect of this approach? That seems to me to be an issue of even greater significance than the clubhouse itself.
It would be interesting to see how this building sits in the context of the design statement for the Menie development - is it setting a marker for all the other buildings which will follow? If so, what will be the cumulative effect of this approach? That seems to me to be an issue of even greater significance than the clubhouse itself.
#4 Posted by D to the R on 22 Sep 2011 at 12:54 PM
Who cares? Isn't it going to be up Aberdeen way? Surely no-one still goes to Aberdeen ... do they ?
#5 Posted by david nimmo on 28 Sep 2011 at 09:05 AM
Malcolm Fraser described it with absolute precision. So what are we all complaining about? I thought we appreciated honesty in architecture! It may not be intellectually profound but it does at least look like a golf clubhouse. If some of the relevant examples of Scottish modernism were more accessible he might have been tempted to have a go, but this way he is much more likely to succeed and remain solvent. I think we should be more concerned about the potential to turn this area into a housing estate as I am sure Donald Trump plans to make some serious money here.
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