New Mac for Old -

Mackintosh Building Rising from the Ashes

When the beautiful Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh building went up in smoke in 2014 many feared for this the most outstanding icon of the Scottish genius. Many were dismayed by ultra modern plans to rebuild the library in the spirit of Macintosh, but not the style and so it was with relief that the powers that be decided to restore to grand old lady as she was in her pomp.

Grand Old Lady

Restoration doesn’t come cheap either, with an initial £35m earmarked to bring her back from the dust. The restorers are taking authenticity as their watchword and redoing everything exactly as was, a daunting task indeed when we’ve gone metric in the mean time and the old Imperial measures are consigned to the history books.  The old building was held together with mostly 6 inch nails and for the re-build they will have to be salvaged or made from scratch.

No Smoking This Time Round

Rennie Macintosh was a young man when he built the edifice, only 28, and he shows the impetuosity of youth by not even following his own plans when he saw a different way of doing stuff, which gives the rebuilders some expensive headaches. And the many years of additions and alterations which saw subdivision of rooms and cubicles built will be swept away. Wood from the USA is being brought in to replace the burnt out fabric of the roof. It is the same wood used in the original, southern yellow pine. If you recall looking up the ceiling timbers they were black not yellow, but that was smokers darkening the wood. Now they’ll be in their natural state when the library reopens in 2019.

 Renovate and Restore Your Love

Well just like the folks at the library you can restore or renovate the thing or one you love with a lot of thought and a little cash, so don’t forget Valentine’s day on February 14.  Before it all burns down with a careless thought.

https://www.jamespirie.com/occasions/valentine-s-day-gifts.html?p=4