A ‘significant’ enabling project has been approved by the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) board to provide a ‘platform for future rebuilding’ of its Mackintosh Building.
The historic building suffered major damage in a 2014 fire, before facing further damage in a second fire whilst it was undergoing a restoration project in 2018.
The current cost of a full reinstatement of the building has been calculated at around £265 million, which is equivalent to five times the GSA’s annual turnover – an amount determined to be not affordable and which would compromise the financial sustainability of the institution.
Furthermore, the school said that such a project would be ‘beyond the capacity and expertise’ of GSA and, despite reaching a ‘positive settlement’ with insurers, the funding gap is ‘significant’ due in ‘large part’ to the rising costs of construction projects.
However, it added that it remains committed to ‘exploring every opportunity’ for it to be faithfully reinstated – and its board has agreed to invest in a significant enabling project, funded by the insurance settlement, that will provide a platform for future rebuilding.
A key part of the enabling works will be the removal of the leased external scaffold, which has been in place since the 2018 fire. It will be replaced by an internal retention system. This will reveal the external elevations of the building and provide a more secure structure for future works, all in line with the recently completed conservation management plan, GSA explained.
The School added it will now move at pace to finalise the project design and secure the necessary permissions and anticipates starting work on site next summer.
An accompanying analysis published alongside the plans highlights the potential for the Mackintosh Building to become an anchor project in a creative and cultural production innovation district. Discussions will begin with the city, government, stakeholders and potential partners to explore whether this ambition can be collectively delivered.
Ann Priest, chair of the board of governors of the Glasgow School of Art, said, “We very much want to see this exceptional and globally important building rebuilt, but we cannot put the financial sustainability of the GSA at risk in doing so. The Glasgow School of Art is recognised internationally for the quality of its education, research, and impact. We make a substantial educational, cultural, social and economic contribution to Glasgow and beyond and it is important that we continue to do this now and in the future.
“As governors, we are legally bound to act in the best interests of the School and have a duty to current and future students and staff to keep the School in good financial health, focused on its core educational purpose. In the 12 years since the first fire, and against the backdrop of a changing higher education landscape, the GSA has consistently demonstrated that its ability to operate – and indeed thrive – is not dependent on the Mackintosh Building.
“However, we believe that the Mackintosh Building – loved and cared for by so many people connected to the school, both in the past and since 2018 – can have a new purpose and become a catalyst for innovation, regeneration and economic growth in and around Glasgow.”
Stephen Hodder MBE, RIBA Stirling Prize winner and member of the GSA’s board of governors, added, “The updated business case for the Mackintosh Building is a comprehensive piece of work that has been led and delivered by architects and other experts well-versed in complex heritage projects. This gateway project will let people see the Mack’s magnificent external elevations again, on a building for which so many people in Glasgow and around the world have a real and enduring affection. It also creates a solid foundation for future reinstatement works, guided by our conservation management plan.”
Katerina Brown, chief executive of Historic Environment Scotland (HES), commented, “This announcement marks a key milestone in securing the long-term future of the Mackintosh Building. We welcome this significant investment in a building of global importance and are already engaging with Glasgow School of Art on the next stages of the project. We look forward to continuing that relationship and to seeing the Mackintosh Building once again become a catalyst for heritage-led regeneration, learning, creativity and innovation in Glasgow and beyond.”
