Threatened Buildings Survey 2012
Date 9 May 2012
Event ID 934910
Category Recording
Type Photographic Record
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/934910
RCAHMS photographed Union Terrace Gardens in May 2012. At this time a major international competition to redevelop the gardens had taken place with Diller Scofidio and Renfro/Keppie's 'Granite Web' entry chosen as the winner. A referendum took place in March 2012 in which the general public backed the development of the 'Granite Web' by a slim majority over those who wished to keep the gardens in their current state. The project was scrapped by Aberdeen City Council in August 2012 after Labour Party, who were opposed to the redevelopment, became the largest party in the May 2012 City Council election.
RCAHMS' survey focussed on the topography of the gardens as several of the competition entries, including the winning one, proposed covering over the Aberdeen-Inverness railway and the bypass, and making radical modifications to the gradient of the naturally sloping site that originally led down to the Den burn. The survey also included details of existing street furniture and views from various levels within the gardens of nearby landmarks such as Archibald Simpson's Triple Kirks and Frank Matcham's His Majesty's Theatre. RCAHMS' visit also provided an opportunity to upgrade holdings on the public toilets within the park.
Information from RCAHMS (NG), January 2013.
