Drawing of entrance to Glasgow School of Art by Gerald Blaikie
The architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh is explored here with photographs, drawings and blueprints illustrating his buildings in and around his home city of Glasgow, Scotland.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in 1868 in Parson Street Glasgow, near to the site where nearly 30 years later he was to assist in the design of Martyrs School.
View of Martyrs School, Glasgow
Martyrs School is one of the the earliest buildings attributed to Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It was designed in 1895, around the same time as the Glasgow Herald Building.
It was built with red sandstone in the Scots Renaissance style as were most of the new Glasgow schools of the time which had to follow the design guidelines of the conservatively minded local School Boards.
There are Japanese influences in the shape and exaggerated extent of the projecting timber eaves at the stairwells (left) and also in
some of the internal details.
These features are credited to Mackintosh, who had studied Japanese art and architecture at Glasgow School of Art.
Internal view of roof structure at stairwell of Martyrs School
Mackintosh's perspective drawing of Martyrs School was displayed at the annual exhibition of the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in March 1896.
Perspective view of Martyrs School by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
The art critic of the Glasgow Herald of 7th March 1896 described the exhibit as "a very mannered drawing of a building having little pretention to architectural effect, but quite suitable for its purpose".
Charles Rennie Mackintosh is credited with the extension of the Glasgow Herald Building, 1893-1895, which features many of his familiar design preferences in its exterior. He had more freedom to express his individualism here than with the Martyrs School, designed around the same time.
The very narrow Mitchell Street was the home of the newspaper from 1870 until 1980 when new publishing practices created a requirement for more modern premises.
Glasgow Herald Building
The lower floors of the building were used as production space where the newspapers where dispatched from platforms open to the street.
The upper storeys, which have less of an industrial feel about them, were used for the editorial and commercial side of the operation.
Details of Glasgow Herald towers from architect's blueprints and modern drawing
Drawings of Glasgow Herald Building by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Mackintosh's perspective view of the new Glasgow Herald Buildings (above, right) was displayed at the architectural exhibition of the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in April 1894 and was again shown at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh in April 1895.
Doorway at Glasgow Herald Building
John Keppie
Charles Rennie Mackintosh worked closely with his firm's senior partner, John Keppie (above), in the specialised and complex design of these 1894-1895 commissions. Contemporary sources credit Keppie as the architect rather than recognising the up-and-coming talent of Rennie Mackintosh, who prepared the exhibition drawings shown above.
The architects' plans and blueprints showing the sections and construction details of both Martyrs School and the Glasgow Herald Building are signed 'John Honeyman & Keppie'.
It is generally accepted that Keppie was comfortable in allowing Mackintosh to carry out most of the decorative design work as well as the presentation drawings for these important commissions which feature typical CRM themes and symbols in the stonework. Keppie would have been more involved in the technical and structural side of the job.
The alterations to the Glasgow Herald Building following the First World War and the block's 1927 refurbishment are solely credited to John Keppie, having taken place after Charles Rennie Mackintosh had left the firm.
The signature below is from plans from an unrelated later project after Mackintosh had become a partner in 'Honeyman, Keppie & Mackintosh, Architects' in 1901.
The Medical Hall at Queen Margaret College, University of Glasgow, was designed by John Keppie and Charles Rennie Mackintosh around the same time as the Glasgow Herald Building and Martyrs School. The asymmetrical building clearly shows the hand of Mackintosh, being very different in layout and façade to Keppie's typical work in the formal 'Beaux-Arts' style, with its emphasis on rigidly proportioned symmetry.
The Medical School was originally based at North Park House, near Botanic Gardens, which had become Scotland's first college for women in 1884 and part of Glasgow University in 1892.
The funding for the erection of a new Medical Hall in the grounds of North Park House came from the Bellahouston Trust which had been established by sisters Elizabeth and Grace Steven for charitable, religious and educational purposes in Glasgow. The trust had become operative on the death of Elizabeth Steven in 1892.
Medical Hall, Queen Margaret College, University of Glasgow
The Medical Hall was partially demolished and altered during the period when the complex was used by BBC Scotland from 1935 to 2007.
Tower and dome of Medical Hall, Queen Margaret College
Mackintosh's perspective view of Queen Margaret College was displayed at the architectural exhibition of the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in 1895.
Mackintosh's exhibition drawing of Queen Margaret College
In the article shown below, published in the Glasgow Herald of 11th April 1895, the newspaper's Arts Critic commented that "the technique of the pen drawing is skilful", but continued with some negative remarks.
Mackintosh's abstract representations of the scenery surrounding the college were not appreciated in their entirety by the writer. It seems that Glasgow wasn't quite ready to comprehend Mackintosh's individualism and his developing style of Art Nouveau design.
Queen's Cross Church
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Queen's Cross Church, situated close to the Partick Thistle football ground in the north of the city, now serves as headquarters of the
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society.
Blue heart shaped window at Queen's Cross Church, Glasgow
At Queen's Cross, Charles Rennie Mackintosh was very bold in his synthesis of a traditional Gothic window with flamboyant Art Nouveau tracery, rather than the usual imitation of mediaeval patterns.
Tower of Queen's Cross Church, Glasgow
The church's multi-faceted tower gives interesting glimpses of light and shadow on its various surfaces.
Perspective drawing of Queen's Cross Church by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Mackintosh's perspective drawing of St Matthew's or Queens Cross Church was displayed at the architectural exhibition of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in 1898.
A contemporary comment on the style of architecture used for the church is contained in the article shown below, published in the Glasgow Herald of 23rd June 1898 after the laying of the foundation stone.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's only other ecclesiastical work was the Ruchill Free Church Halls which were completed in 1899.
Ruchill Free Church Halls
Glasgow School of Art, North Façade
Glasgow School of Art, situated on a steep hill leading down to Sauchiehall Street, is one of the most distinctive Art Nouveau buildings in Glasgow, displaying a combination of decorative styles influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century.
The west wing (left) and east wing (right) of the Glasgow School of Art
are situated on a steep hill running down towards Sauchiehall Street, sloping away from the main north-facing façade which fronts Renfrew Street.
Ornate iron railings at Glasgow School of Art
The plans for the new Art School had been selected from a competition where twelve of the city's most prominent architectural practices had been invited to submit proposals.
The first stage of construction of the Art School, shown above, looks very much half-finished and completely out of balance.
The opening ceremony of the completed Glasgow School of Art took place on 15th December 1909, performed by Sir James Fleming (left), chairman of the Board of Governors. Sir James had been a pupil of the school a few years after it had been founded in 1840.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's silverware was influenced by the work of the 'Wiener Werkstätte', designers and artisans of the Vienna Secession of which he was an honorary member.
Silver casket and scroll presented to Sir James Fleming by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Extracts from International Studio, March 1910, regarding the opening of the completed Glasgow School of Art
The striking façade of the Willow Tea Rooms on the south side of Sauchiehall Street was added in 1903. The highly original and stylish frontage has retained its freshness more than a century later with a timeless modernity.
Façade of the Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow
Both internally and externally, Mackintosh skillfully managed to combine the elements of architecture and interior design to produce a stunning result.
Miss Catherine Cranston (left), a
Victorian lady with a remarkable flair for business, was a pioneer of the tea room movement which featured greatly in Glasgow's social life at the turn of the
century. The luncheon rooms and tea rooms which carried her name were well known to
most Glasgow citizens, demonstrating her refined taste in the fixtures and
fittings as well as the decor.
The simple lines of Mackintosh's white cabinet for the Willow Tea Rooms seem to echo the pattern of the building's façade.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's finest domestic work is situated in Helensburgh, on the south facing slopes of the Firth of Clyde. It was built as a new home for the publisher, Walter Blackie.
Elevation of Hill House, Helensburgh
Western entrance of Hill House, Helensburgh
Stair tower at rear of Hill House, Helensburgh
Mackintosh's presentation drawing of Hill House, displayed 1904 & 1905
Mackintosh's perspective drawing of Hill House from the north-west
Another turn-of-the century residential design, which was typical of Mackintosh's style at the time, was for Windyhill which was built in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, for local businessman, William Davidson.
Mackintosh's perspective view of Windyhill, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire
The Daily Record Printing Works in Renfield Lane has a frontage finished with white and blue glazed bricks with sculpted sandstone finishes to the ground floor and the top storey. It was designed in 1901 and completed in 1904, nearly a decade after the Glasgow Herald Building with which it has some similarities at roof level and at the tower.
Drawing of the façade of Daily Record Building
The view shown above could never be seen in reality as the lane is a mere 6 metres wide. No satisfactory viewing point can be reached to get a good look at Charles Rennie Mackintosh's design intentions. The façade's originality was enhanced by the use of full height tree motifs placed between the bays. Mackintosh created these symbols by the simple use of different coloured bricks.
When the Daily Record vacated the building in the late 1930's it was used as a clothing manufacturing workshop by R.W. Forsyth who were Glasgow's premier outfitters at the time. Forsyth's occupied a large shop in nearby Renfield Street.
Stylised Mackintosh rose in tower of Daily Record Building viewed from the east
Sketch of proposed Daily Record Building, c.1901
Perspective view of Daily Record Building, Renfield Lane
Scotland Street School
Glasgow's circular subway system will take you from the city centre to Scotland Street School, which is near to Shields Road station.
When Glasgow was the European capital of Culture in 1990, funding was found to restore the building to the original Rennie Mackintosh designs for both interior and exterior decoration.
It has served as Glasgow's Museum of Education since 12th December 1990, and currently features period classrooms, exhibition space and an audio visual theatre.
Detail from infants entrance of Scotland Street School
Western stair tower at Scotland Street School
Mackintosh's perspective drawing of Scotland Street School was displayed at the architectural exhibition of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in April 1906.
Perspective view of Scotland Street School by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, where Mackintosh's architectural drawings were exhibited
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's structures are now regarded as part of the international modern movement of the time. His highly individualistic style failed, however, to find a similar level of appreciation in the UK as his Art Nouveau contemporaries enjoyed in continental Europe.
As well as the exteriors of his buildings, Mackintosh also designed many of their interiors and furnishings in his unique decorative fashion.
The external decoration shows quiet indications of his developing Art Nouveau style, particularly around the doorways (right).
When Glasgow was awarded the prestigious title of 'UK city of Architecture and Design, 1999', the block was altered and extended to create a modern Architecture and Design centre, 'The Lighthouse'.
As a working newspaper plant, the premises had been altered at various stages throughout the 20th century; as a result there were very few, if any, period furnishings to retain for its restoration.
The cutting below from the Glasgow Herald of 20th May 1899, tells us that the works for the newspaper plant were carried out "under the personal supervision of Mr Keppie."
A proposal to provide medical courses for female students had been made by several women in 1889 with the financial backing of Mrs Isabella Elder. A formal motion for this provision was adopted at the Annual General Meeting of the college on 28th April 1890. Classes in the study of medicine commenced for 13 students in the winter session of 1890 / 1891.
Keppie and Mackintosh's building was formally opened on 18th November 1895 by Rev. John Caird, Principal of the University of Glasgow.
Surviving features include the stairtower which has an attractive open-arched belfry topped with a bell-shaped leaded dome. The balustraded decorative porch has also been preserved.
The architecture is difficult to categorise and once again illustrates Mackintosh's unique design skills with beautiful Art Nouveau detailing both outside and inside the church. He was responsible for the spectacular interior decoration and fittings as well as the exterior, illustrated above.
A £1 million refurbishment was completed in early 2007.
The window features a blue heart infilled with individually coloured small panes of glass, with subtle changes of hue to bring the image to life.
The drawing, above, uses a bit of artistic license to combine the shading of the tracery as seen from the street with the light from the window, which could only be seen from within the church.
You'll have to go inside to view the lighting effects properly.
In the article shown below, published in the Glasgow Herald of 2nd April 1898, the newspaper's Arts Critic is somewhat sceptical regarding the merits of Mackintosh's drawing technique.
Because of the requirements of the clients, this little building is more conservative than some of his later more modernistic designs. It shows traditional Scottish influences embellished with the individualistic touches which you expect from CRM.
Significantly, the Free Church did not ask Mackintosh to design the adjacent church building.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh had submitted his designs for the competition in 1896 and was successful in becoming the winning entrant when the result was announced in early 1897. Funding limitatations meant that the building was erected in stages between 1897 and 1909.
Glasgow School of Art still demonstrates a freshness of style and presents a fascinating insight into turn of the century modernism.
This extract from an article published in the Glasgow Herald of 3rd February 1897 gives a brief description of the site and the successful plans for the proposed new building for the Glasgow School of Art.
A decade later, when the second phase of construction was under way, the Glasgow Herald of 26th June 1907 published this sketch of the building and gave a complimentary description of both the building and its principal architect.
At the ceremony Sir John Stirling Maxwell moved a vote of thanks to the architect, Mr Mackintosh, whom he said "had the real faculty of being able to adapt a building for the purpose for which it was really intended". He went on to say that the Glasgow School of Art "was a conspicuous success of that kind".
Mackintosh acknowledged the compliment and on behalf of the contractors presented Sir James Fleming with a jewelled silver casket containing a decorative signed scroll.
The subtle effect of the bowed windows (below) creates a 3-dimensional shop front different from any other, either modern or old, in Glasgow's premier shopping street.
The Hill House was built between 1902 and 1904, with further work by Mackintosh in 1912. The interior design and furniture are remarkably well preserved. The extensive gardens are beautifully maintained by the National Trust for Scotland.
The proposed leaded dome was never added to the tower during construction, probably because it could not have been seen and properly appreciated.
Scottish Mutual Assurance housed their computer systems in this building from 1984 to 1997, when it became unoccupied. There was a bridge at second floor level, at the rear of the premises, which allowed access to Scottish Mutual's main offices in St Vincent Street.
There were plans in 1999 to create a nightclub within the empty shell but these had to be abandoned due to the costs involved. In March 2006, Glasgow City Council gave permission to create a café bar and live music venue within the building. The Stereo Bar opened in November 2007, occupying the ground floor and basement of the old works.
The building is of a most imaginative design which would have been ultra-modern for its day. It features twin towers infilled with leaded glass which at night twinkles in the lights of the nearby M8 motorway. Both the stonework and interior decoration show Charles Rennie Mackintosh's genius with a novel style which is entirely his own.
The Reverend Alexander Simpson, Convenor of the School Board of Glasgow, formally opened the school on 5th October 1906. It remained in use until 1979, when it had to close as there were not enough pupils to continue in operation.
Rennie Mackintosh - Architect
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All original artwork, photography and text © Gerald Blaikie
Unauthorised reproduction of any image on this website is not permitted.