Rennie Mackintosh Architecture

6th April 2015

This film, the most recent in a series of films being commissioned to mark the AHRC's 10th anniversary, looks at a project that was funded by the AHRC in 2010. The Mackintosh Architecture project is five year project which has been investigating the architecture of the celebrated Scottish architect, artist and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868 - 1928).

The research project, led by Professor Pamela Robertson of the University of Glasgow, is based on first-hand analysis of the buildings and primary sources. Archival records, including planning submissions, correspondence, office job books, and surveys have been evaluated to map out timelines, development of the projects, budgets, and history of change.

All of the known architectural drawings have been catalogued, photographed and evaluated. Clients, colleagues, contractors and suppliers have been identified and researched and all the material has been gathered together and made freely and publicly available online via the Mackintosh Architecture website - one of the projects major outputs
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Another output is Mackintosh Architecture , the first exhibition to be devoted to his architecture offering the opportunity to view over 60 original drawings, watercolours and perspectives spanning the whole of his career. Seen together they reveal the evolution of his style from his early apprenticeship to his later projects as an individual architect. The Exhibition is at The Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) until 23 May 2015.

The exhibition features Mackintosh's original designs for the Glasgow School of Art, which he prepared at the early age of twenty nine. A model showing a cross-section of the school and photographs of the external and internal details illustrate his early focus on designing every aspect of a building: the exterior, interior, furniture and lighting. Visitors can also watch film footage of the school.

Highlights of the exhibition include Mackintosh's stunning watercolours of the Daily Record Building and Glasgow Cathedral; a selection of models of built and unbuilt projects; a large oil portrait of Mackintosh, by the headmaster at the Glasgow School of Art, Francis Newbery and other photographic portraits, can all be seen in this short film.