Awards anger disablitiy group
Controversy over parking places
Disability campaigners are reeling after hearing Stirling’s £13million Engine Shed had scoooped three top design awards, despite failing to provide a single disabled parking space.
As well as being named one of the best new buildings in Scotland at the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) 2018, the building at Forthside was awarded ‘Best Building 2018’ and ‘Best Use of Stone’ at the Stirling Society of Architects Design Awards 2018.
Run by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), construction on the centre for building and conservation professionals and the general public began in 2013, opening to the public in July 2017.
However, it has been embroiled in a row over access for people with disabilities.
Last September Stirling councillors waived the need for disabled parking – a condition of the build – after HES sought retrospectively not to comply. The nearest disabled parking spaces were outwith the 45-50 metre regulatory distance, and dedicated spaces closer to the Engine Shed had not been provided in the finished product.
Planning officials claimed the condition no longer applied as it was no longer possible to provide the spaces alongside the completed facility and it was a “bad” condition which could not have been complied with from the start.
However objectors, including Riverside Community Council, said this was only because the condition was ignored, and questioned whether HES and the council were “above the law”.
HES director of conservation Dr David Mitchell had said at that time that, while the body took its access responsibilities very seriously, from the outset the site was restricted and unable to provide visitor and disabled parking. It had therefore been assumed the condition had been a “clerical error”.
This week RIAS Awards judges said, however: “The judges were unanimous in their view that this was an outstanding project. The re-use of the existing elements of the building together with the very subtle and well executed extensions demonstrated considerable skill.”
Dr David Mitchell said: “We are very pleased the Engine Shed has been recognised as one of the best new buildings in Scotland.
“The conservation centre was built using traditional materials in a contemporary way and sympathetically making the most of the original building.
“The response from visitors and users of the building has been great and in its first year of operation has gained significant international profile for what the Scottish sector does in research and education around traditional buildings.
“One of our own architects designed the building and the project team worked very hard to deliver our aspirations.”
Robert Dick, chair of Stirling Area Access Panel, however, expressed surprise at the accolades.
“This building cost £13million in public money yet has failed to address important aspects of building design that allow it to be accessible to all members of society.
“The list of poor access provision includes: lack of proper disabled parking, which makes access difficult or impossible for some with mobility issues; poor management of noise and acoustics, which creates difficulties and discomfort for people with hearing loss; information displays that offer no audio alternative to allow those with visual impairment to access the information; and the large map installation that requires interaction by a digital tablet, which is difficult or impossible to use by those with visual impairment or dexterity issues.
“Perhaps these issues can be glossed over because a back-to-front building looks good. The Access Panel, however, believes it is a poor reflection of a caring society if architects don’t recognise that buildings and their internal features have to be accessible for all of society, including the 20 per cent who are disabled.
“We also feel that a publicly-funded building that ignores the access needs of a significant section of the population should not be held up as an example of a ‘Best Building’.”
Stirling MP Stephen Kerr also expressed concerns that disabled access appeared to be being overlooked.
He added: “While I am pleased the building has been awarded these accolades it is a fact the building certainly should not receive any awards for access given the debacle over the location of disabled parking bays. This is something we should all continue to press Historic Environment Scotland to resolve.”
It is a poor reflection of a caring society