World’s best get chance to design Perth City Hall

International contest to find architect. . . but possibly no Stone of Destiny

The world’s leading designers will be given the chance to transform Perth City Hall.

But it has emerged the century-old venue might not be home to the Stone of Destiny, as the council had originally stated it would.

Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Miller said he wanted to place the attraction at the hall, claiming it was “a location capable of developing a 21st Century cultural venue which sets the bar for great small cities”.

However The Courier understands the crowning seat of Scottish kings could now be housed at the existing museum and art gallery.

An international contest is being held to find an architect to spearhead the long-awaited city hall redevelopment project.

The local authority will accept designs which do not incorporate the stone in a competition similar to that run for the V&A Dundee.

Top designers from around the world will be invited to battle it out for the job of transforming Perth City Hall.

Council chiefs are poised to launch a competition to find an architect to lead the long-awaited redevelopment, ending more than a decade of uncertainty.

A similar contest was held to select the designer of Dundee’s V&A.

The landmark Perth building, which has stood empty since 2005, is being revived as part of a £36 million revamp of the city’s cultural offerings.

Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Miller announced in June that the building would be turned into a visual arts venue at the heart of Perth’s ambitious bid for City of Culture status.

The council announced the hall should become a new home for the Stone of Destiny but The Courier understands it is now considering housing the artefact at the museum and art gallery.

At budget talks in June, Mr Miller told councillors: “Our area provides an unrivalled setting for the Stone.

“Here it can be placed in its true context, alongside our own magnificent museum collections and within a wider historic environment which is unsurpassed.

“The report asks the council to consider the City Hall as the location for the new attraction – a location capable of developing a 21st century cultural venue which sets the bar for great small cities.”

It is understood entries to the contest will be accepted whether they incorporate the Stone or not.

Should the Stone be placed elsewhere, it will free up the hall to become a new attraction for visual and modern arts with a “modern Scots” narrative.

The revamped venue is expected to attract 160,000 extra visitors each year.

A council spokesman said: “The ambition is to carry out an open design competition to attract innovative design concepts and to raise the profile of the project in the local community and beyond.”

He said a shortlist of two or three designs will be assessed by a panel.

As well as the council and the Culture Perth and Kinross team, the panel may also include representatives of the Royal Incorporation of Architects and Historic Environment Scotland, the body which previously blocked plans to demolish the building.

The spokesman said councillors will be asked to formally back the competition approach on Wednesday.

“A design competition brings benefits of stimulating creative, innovative thinking about a transformed City Hall and offers the opportunity for leading talent to present their proposals,” he said.

The report asksthe council to consider the City Hall as the location for the new attraction – a location capable of developing a 21st Century cultural venue which sets the bar for great small cities. COUNCIL LEADER IAN MILLER