Just a few days ago, Highland Council let Inverness in on its plans to improve the city’s museum.
And now, a new kid on the block has unveiled his own vision for transforming what is generally considered one of the worst eyesores in Inverness.
Recently graduated architectural technology BSc(Hons) student Jacob Simpson’s own ideas featured in a project during his course at Inverness College UHI.
The Wigan-born 22-year-old said: “Over the last year of the course I did a project focused around a full renovation of the museum.
“Most people on my course chose smaller domestic stuff but I’ve always found larger commercial projects more interesting. It’s one of the biggest buildings in Inverness that I felt could do with a bit of a change.”
He concedes that his ambitions are grander than those proposed this week and acknowledged that his proposition would be more costly.
“I’d love to know what the local community think of my concept,” Mr Simpson said.
He drew his inspiration from an array of architecture.
“I think a lot of the city’s 1960s blocks should be replaced by something more contemporary although, other than the likes of the Longman and the college that’s going to be knocked down, I can’t see many of the buildings going any time soon,” he added.
Almost a year into a career with Inverness-based Norr architectural planners, he is working on a number of distillery commissions and several substantive fishfarm designs.
A family move five years ago brought him to the Highlands when his father decided to return home to the region.
Loving his new job, his long term hope is for an international posting.
Highland Council has lodged a full planning application for a redesigned museum as part of work to rejuvenate the city centre.
Mr Simpson’s vision for the museum is online at https://gallery.autodesk.com/a360rendering/projects/inverness-museum–full-renovation