WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT ST PETER'S . ' Alec Borthwick, former
student, 1970-72
"l‘he first thing I nnticed Libiittt St l’c‘tc‘l‘is was tltc‘ beautiful surrniindings in the wnnds. The building was tabtilniis. especial!) enm- » pared in Blair's sc‘lttitiltt'} in Aberdeen where I came t'rnm: which was Victnrian. dark and austere.
St l’ctct'K was light and spaciiius and in tltiisc da}s pristine. lt tell like )nu were in a mndern cathedral.
I saw it again at the end nt 2005. ll is in a disgraceful state. This building is a nne-nit. 'l‘here is a mnral dut} in dn snmething with it.‘
Toby Paterson,
~ artist '.\l_\ l'irst \isit
pi'm ided nne iii in} mnst memnrable architectural experiences. liven in its chc‘l'cl) cnm- prnmised state the building sings. and l det} anynne with a pulse and a brain nnt tn becnme emntinnall} ili\'t)l\'c‘tl with bnth its spatial qualities and its predicament. l"nr me St l’c‘tc‘i"s tinai'guable architectural and histnrical \alue make it wnrth saving. but mnre than just being signiticant as a single wnrth)’ case. it symbnlises issues that trickle dnw'n tn at‘t'ect the whnle ni Sentland‘s built em'irnnment. That we let nur l‘)th and 30m century architectural legac} crumble. cnllapse and burn is a damning ennuin indictment nt' ntir culture‘s apprnach tn its habitable spaces and their surrnundings. 'l‘hat thnse tasked with prntecting this legacy are \‘arinusly pnwerless and seemineg unwilling tn save Sentland‘s mnst impnrtant piece nt‘ pnst-war architecture is despicable. When will we learn‘.’ Sn much nt' value has been Inst in the last half century. must Sentland gn iiitn the let accumulating _\et mnre regrets t'nr its l‘uture'.”
Murray Griqor, Film-maker
‘St. Peter's clinched the RIBA's decisinn tn present Jack (‘nia with their 1909 RIBA (inld Medal. the t'K‘s highest accnlade l'nr architects at hnme ni' abrnad. In celebratinn. the Senttish Arts (‘nuncil cnmmissinned a tilm in l973.
Sn was bnrn the idea nt' explnring the architecture nt' St. Peter's Seminar} thrnugh a film shnwing a da_\' in its life.
Thanks in a (‘i'eatiVe Sentland .-\ward. augmented by an award t'rnm (ilasgnw's Lighthnuse. I will snnn return In St Peter's and retrace nur catnera steps. shnt t'nr shnt in black and white thrnugh its nnw \andalised spaces. Our aim is tn haVe the new and 1972 film screened side b_\' side.
St Peter‘s cnuld be bnrn again. perhaps as a residence and cnncert hall nr as a centre t'nr a festival l'nr emerging musicians. alnng the lines of the Marlbnrn Festival iii Vermnnt. nr the similarly enterprising ‘Mendelssnhn nn Mull‘. The West of Seniland wnuld then hare a year- round w’nrld-class \‘enue t‘nr music cnneerts amidst the luxuriant landscape nt~ Cardrns‘s.‘
EARLY 19705
I 4
.‘.Lu-;unu; ._ l.-
‘ "I
SAVE ST PETER'S
John Deflenbauqh, St Peter's Trust
'ltt t‘c‘\[\i\tt\c‘ [U tltc‘ t‘L‘c‘c‘ttt destructinn nt' the high altar b_\ \andals. the 'l‘riist attempted in repair the perimeter tence arntmd St. Peters. placing a chain and padlnck gtt‘ittllttl the itc‘c‘c\\ gate. lltt‘ kc} [it this was sent in llistni‘ic Sentland. asking that the agenc} sat'eguard St. l’eter's tuture. 'l'he tence has since been i'enpened and the kc) was sent back in its. the agenc} stating that. 'it wnuld be premature t‘nr llistnric Scntland tn cnnsidei' taking pnssessinn nt St. l’etei”s.‘
\Vith neither its nw ner nni' the natinnal heritage agenc} willing tn take respnnsibiht}. it's hard in imagine a mnre undignitied end in a building that came trnm such \ isinn and nptimism.‘
Cordula Zeidler, 20th Century Society
'It nne is in master St. Peter‘s. nne will need a bnld and unashamedl) sell cnnt'ident scheme that can wnrk with this e\tranrdinar_\ building. St. Peter’s Itcctls a design prnpnsal that pi'eser\es the integrit} and strength iii the nrigmal architecture but alsn hits it nn in a new lite and tise.
St. Peters is art impnrtant building. the (Qt) Snciet} belie\ es that it ma_\ )el ha\ e a t'tittire. bill this w ill nn|_\ cnme abnut thrnugh a well thntight thrnugh and inspired prnpnsal t'nr its reuse. this w ill need mnne} and enurage t'nr its realisatinnf
Richard Chester, Director of the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland
‘lla\ing \isited the building. accnmpanied b} an architect. l atn stire (‘ardrnss Seminar} c‘ttttltl be L‘Hltu't'tcd llllt) all apprnpriate rehearsal and pertnrmance space. including residential tacilities. the prime wnrk iii The Natinnal Yntith ()rchestras nt' Sentland iNYUS) is the nrganisatinn nt residential cnurses tlitl' its six criseltibles. tutni‘cd b_\' pt'nl‘essinnal musicians. and natinnal and internatinnal cnncett tnurs. ()wing tn the clnsure iii" a number nt' \‘L‘lttlL‘s in Sentland. there is a lack nt' adequate tacilities in run enurses and timer )nung penple's interest and skills in music and the arts.‘
WHAT YOU CAN DO
I Sign the in” {MW/iii ‘iiiti‘fl'i‘dti arid urn/inran
()ii‘i‘i'i) ii, ’19 xi: i iriail ,0!” fifit'l‘,‘ ,iivi antitant 7i‘fiitli‘,i’l‘Z‘lii’)’”|t';i“Silk'siitiii'}1,“)‘l.'.’?tiiii’)l/‘:€t kit’iildihi‘l, itw: “JV/Hit”) it‘d ’1? wait/Miran Ti H: guzzliatxt; u'i (,tt.’ urinate. at .w‘t tit/iéii‘f,
I Sttqtiflfii {Jiiiit‘} i'fl ' ’ .'.
iii ‘iitiih’: We .‘ali ‘I:;:I_.r": ‘ti‘: UH. curinitaniUri‘, at
iii‘,‘ i/itii’lii ’1} (, lll'fl i/‘J '1 )‘fll
WHAT WE AIM TO DO
I ‘.'."‘: .‘.‘ziiii to Wait) ittt‘} iii‘: fun/is. for ;: feasibitit,’ 51nd,. to work, nut, .‘xtiat CUUiti ix: (10W; Ntiit the Dali/1th“). and box. riitiaii :t .‘.’tli cost to restart; ti. ON; 3‘ fix,- iag. question; .viit U: the“; a bill/bf,
:ttflY apt: for this biiilriing to U: uni/17' Yaw riaiiir;
(in the petition mti pro/Mic 'xital exidence.
'/ ' 21:1 ‘ ‘ Ma, '/';","C THE LIST 15