Reply To: National Gallery Extension

Couple of comments,
Gordon Benson is a true high modernist, his sole influence is Le Corbusier, as self professed, if you go to one of his lectures it is practically a read through of Vers Une Architecture.

Museum of Scotland was paraded as a unique building, a new Scottish vernacular, if so how do the Dublin Gallery & it bear so striking a resemblance:
Same red steel work bridge effect
same window details
same Ronchamp windows (interior)
Identical stair (open tread terrattso)
Identical ‘courtyard’ and roof glazing
Both have very weak entrances
Both have the extraordinary mix of extremely Expensive and extremely cheap detailing side by side
Both completely detailed to death.

Both buildings were designed simultaneously but the similarities are just too much to bear taking in mind the ‘uniqueness’ of both buildings as stated by the architect.

However, I prefer the Dublin Gallery to the Museum of Scotland. The main circulation space is without a doubt the most exhilerating space I have ever seen since Ronchamp and this is possibly Dublin’s greatest architectural achievement, but it could have been better.