National Assembly Building
| National Assembly Building | |
Nasonal Asemblë Böu | |
 | |
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Location |
 Noursala, Aerla |
| Current tenants | National Assembly of Aerla |
| Construction started | 1712 AN |
| Completed | 1719 AN |
| Owner | Public Services Administration |
| Height | 30 m |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 (w/ 1 sublevel used for office space.) |
The National Assembly Building, officially the Henry S. Cassian National Assembly Building is the meeting place of the National Assembly of Aerla. Constructed from 1712 AN to 1719 AN, the building houses the Assembly Chamber as well as offices for Assembly members, members of the press, secretaries, and security personnel. In addition to the ubiquitous Assembly chamber, the building contains many conference rooms and offices for Assembly members. Assembly committees often meet in the conference rooms to conduct hearings and legislative reviews. The eastern wing of the second floor houses offices for the press. There is also a basement level, housing the building's security detachment.
The building is owned and maintained by the Public Services Administration, an independent agency in charge of managing government-owned property.
History
Meeting Places before Construction
After Aerla's independence in 1709 AN, the National Assembly met in a manor in the eastern outskirts of Noursala called the Durran House. The manor belonged to an early Assemblyman named Carmine Durran, who allowed its use by the Assembly until a permanent home could be found for the body. The manor featured a large open northern wing, which was used as the chamber for the assembly, with the rest of rooms in the manor used as conference rooms or as offices for the Speaker and other Assembly personnel.
The building was infamous for it's absence of any climate control. During the hot summers in Noursala, it was seen that many Assemblymen would have to excuse themselves from the chamber in order to change clothes due to sweat. In a viral internet meme, President Henry Cassian was seen covered in a comical amount of sweat while addressing the Assembly, as if he had been doused in a bucket of water, which he himself found quite humorous. He stated "To de-stress before my speech, I decided to pay a visit to the water park, my apologies." The image of a sweat-covered Cassian became famous during the Public Relief Scandal of 1720, which found him on the verge of impeachment. The situation was similar in the winters, with some members of the assembly found to be wrapped in blankets or wearing large winter coats.
The New Building
Funds for a new assembly building were approved in 1710 AN after a building site was found in an empty lot in Downtown Noursala. Construction began in 1712 AN, and was finished in 1719 AN. The National Assembly and associated functionaries moved into the building starting in 1720 AN.
In 1730 AN, marking the one year anniversary of the assassination of Henry Cassian, the National Assembly passed a resolution to rename the building the "Henry S. Cassian National Assembly Building".
Interior
The Assembly Chamber
The Assembly chamber, painted in stark white and featuring Apollantean columns, is the primary meeting place of the National Assembly. A state of the art sound system was installed, with a dedicated sound technician being present for all Assembly meetings. A large skylight provides lighting during the daytime, with perimeter and aisle lighting being turned on for evening and nighttime meetings.
In the front of the chamber stands a platform, informally known as "The Stage" with two tiers that provides seating and a speaking platform for Assembly staff. The top tier has four seats, reserved for the Speaker, Clerk, the Assembly Parliamentarian, and the Assembly Timekeeper. The left side of the lower tier features seating for secretarial staff in charge of tallying votes, keeping official records, and receiving bills that Assembly Members wish to introduce. The right side, on the other hand, is reserved for government reporters and note-takers. In the middle, a speaking podium provides offers commanding view for those who wish to address the entire chamber.
The chamber itself features well over the 121 seats required to sit all legislators. This was done on purpose in order to ensure that the chamber was furnished for future expansions in seats. The desks feature a microphones and two electronic buttons for voting, YEA and NAY, with those who wish to abstain not pressing either and being counted as non-voting.
Basil Fitzroy Conference Room
The Basil Fitzroy Conference Room, located in the building's Eastern Wing, was consecrated in 1734 AN. It is the primary meeting venue for the Cabinet of Aerla. Before, cabinet meetings were held in several different conference rooms across the building. The room features a large crescent-shaped desk with built in electronic screens for document viewing. Extra seating is available for the room for government clerks, invited dignitaries, and at times the press.
