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THE first exhibition of the work of local architects to be held in Stornoway was opened by the leader of the architecture profession in the UK, Mr Owen Luder, on Friday.
Mr Luder, the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, congratulated the Western Isles Architects Group and the organisers of the display in the An Lanntair Arts Centre for putting together the show.
Mr Luder, resplendent in a multi-coloured bow-tie, was accompanied by Scotland's top architect, Mr Andrew Wright, the president of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland; and Mr Les Hutt, president of the North of Scotland and Islands chapter of the RIAS.
The show includes designs and models for a wide variety of projects on the Western Isles, including the schools at Lionacleit and Shawbost; the new factory for Callanish Ltd at Breasclete; and the proposed new buildings at Lews Castle College. Some of them are demonstrated as computer designs. There are also many pictures and plans, including ones for small domestic projects, from the seven firms of architects based on the Islands.
There is also the first outline description and initial plans for the new arts centre in Stornoway, which could include the pedestrianisation of the South Beach end of Kenneth Street.
Mr Gordon Anderson, the co-chair of the Western Isles Architects Group and project manager for the new arts centre, said the display demonstrated what architects are and what services they can provide.
Mr Luder, opening the display at a special reception attended by around 40 people, said: "It's a great pleasure to be here for the first time. " It created an important opportunity for people to see what architects could do.
"Architects offer the ability to use space effectively. It's all about the way space is used."
Also important was the provision of quality buildings. Architects gave the opportunity to create buildings that were not just off-the-shelf - and this need not be expensive. Fees were related to the scale of the project and the ability of the client to pay.
"The buildings are a very important part of our environment," he went on.
"The buildings of today are the heritage of tomorrow."
Having had a tour of the Islands during the day which included a visit to the restored blackhouses of Garenin, he said the important of the appearance of building was even more important on the islands than elsewhere because it was so difficult to landscape them with trees.
Mr Luder was presented with models of the Uig chessmen and a certificate as a memento of his visit.
Mr Wright told the reception that he was glad to be back on the Islands and to see that the Western Isles Architects Group was flourishing - his previous visit more than ten years ago had been at a time when local practitioners were complaining that the national architects' groups did nothing for them.
This had led to the setting up of the Western Isles Architects Group, the first of its type in the region, and he was pleased to see it had progressed so well.
Both he and Mr Hutt were also given presents and certificates.
Earlier Mr Luder visited the work - including stonewalling and thatching - which is being done in the village of Garenin near Carloway where people working under the Community Employment Initiative are converting one of the village's old blackhouses into a public toilet. An administrator and nine trainees are involved in the work with the training provided by Lews Castle College.
Original article Stornoway Gazette Feb 12 1997.
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