Scottish Parliament

Enric Miralles combined Kemnay granite from Aberdeenshire with Caithness flagstone from the north coast to root the Scottish Parliament in the geology of its country. The granite forms the plinth and external walls, the flagstone the public hard-landscaping around the building.

The detailing mixes polished, flamed and split finishes of the same stone to modulate surfaces without introducing new materials. For specifiers, it is a reference for how finish alone can do heavy compositional work.

Both stones are still quarried and widely used in civic and landscape work across the UK. Granite and flagstone specifications benefit from early conversations about block sizes, finish ranges and lead times.