I promised you photos, so here you have photos. Alas, these photos aren’t new, but were drawn from my personal archives due to current events.
You may have heard that the Glasgow School of Art, a stunning Art Noveau building designed by the great Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, burned down last Friday. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the building itself is a huge loss en par with the fire at the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar in 2004. For Art Noveau architecture, a style which already is quite rare due to being deemed too radical in its day and not radical enough by latter generations, this is the worst loss since Victor Horta‘s L’Innovation department store in Brussels burned down in 1967, killing 323 people in one of the great unsolved (and sadly forgotten) cases of the 20th century. The link itself is not graphic, but be warned that if you google for images of the building, you will find graphic images.
I’m a big fan of Art Noveau design and architecture, so I have been aware of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his work for a long time now. And seeing footage of the fire reminded me that I actually have some photos of the Glasgow School of Art and other Charles Rennie Mackintosh buildings in my archives, taken during a trip in 2010. So enjoy the architecture and interior design of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, some of which is now lost:
The main entrance of the Glasgow School of Art, built between 1897 and 1909 and designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The image is somewhat slanted not because I was drunk when I took the photo, but because the building is situated along a sloping road.
A closer look at the main door of the Glasgow School of Art.
A look at the tall windows of the Glasgow School of Art.
Detail of the windows and fences of the Glasgow School of Art.
A detailed look at the fence of the Glasgow School of Art. Getting a complete view of the building was nigh impossible, because it was situated on a narrow sidestreet.
Striking Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed lanterns at the Glasgow School of Art.
The Glasgow School of Art is not the only building Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed in Glasgow. In fact, his architectural legacy can be found throughout the city. Another example are the Willow Tearooms, a chain of tea and coffee shops designed and furnished by Mackintosh. Two of the tearooms still exist and I had the chance to visit them and take some photos back in 2010.
The facade of the Willow Tearooms in Glasgow, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The lower level is now occupied by a jewellery shop (with noisy banners in the windows), but the upper level still operates as a tearoom.
A close-up look at the decorations above the main window of the Willow Tearooms.
The sign of the Willow Tearooms. This is actually another location than the one pictured above.
Menu of the Willow Tearooms displayed outside the entrance. Note the rose design.
Inside the Willow Tearooms, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Those high-backed chairs are surprisingly comfortable.
A closer look at the ceiling lamps of the Willow Tearooms.
Another Willow Tearooms location with a Japanese inspired design.
Another close-up look at a Willow Tearooms lamp. The modern energy-saving bulb somewhat marrs the effect.
More stunning Charles Rennie Mackintosh lamps in the stairwell of the Willow Tearooms.
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Oh, I love art nouveau. I am so glad no one was hurt, but what a terrible loss. If buildings have to burn, why not the hideous ones?
Good question. I suppose the hideous buildings, being more modern, are usually also better about fire safety. The Victor Horta department store in Brussels I mentioned in my post was replaced by a hideous block of concrete that would probably withstand even a nuclear strike.