Glasgow School of Art 'can't afford' to restore fire-hit Mackintosh building

Key Points

Glasgow School of Art has settled an insurance claim following 2018 fire
Plan to ‘faithfully’ reinstate Mackintosh Building would cost four times previous estimates
Current cost of full reinstatement has been calculated at around £265m
Building has potential to be an anchor for a ‘creative and cultural production innovation district’, says report
Mackintosh Building will soon see the removal of the external scaffold
Plans to create ‘museum-standard’ interpretations of the building

Glasgow School of Art will not be able to fully restore the Mackintosh Building to its former state without additional financial support.

The world-renowned building, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, was extensively damaged when a blaze broke out in 2018 as it neared the end of a £35 million restoration project following a previous fire in May 2014.

The school previously said it was committed to a faithful reinstatement of the building, but a new report has revealed that the plans would cost four times the previous estimates.

Scaffolding around the Mackintosh Building is set to be removed Reiach and Hall

It says that “financial clarity” given by an insurance settlement from the 2018 blaze has shown that the school “cannot take forward the faithful reinstatement on its own”.

The current cost of full reinstatement has been calculated at around £265m, equivalent to five times the Glasgow School of Art annual turnover.

The school says the amount is “not affordable” and “would compromise the financial sustainability of the institution”. Around £26m has been spent maintaining the existing structure, the school said.

The latest report states that restoring the Mackintosh building is “dependent on external funding sources that are uncertain” and cites a “significant funding gap” that needs to be resolved.

The Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed Glasgow School of Art building was gutted by flames in June 2018. STV News

The school’s chair of governors says the Mackintosh can “have a new purpose and become a catalyst for
innovation, regeneration and economic growth for Glasgow”.

It has been proposed that creating a “creative and culture-led innovation district” would bring significant opportunities, including proximity to the nearby Scottish Opera, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and the National Theatre of Scotland.

The Mackintosh would serve as a “cultural anchor” within a creative and cultural sector innovation district and wider master-planned regeneration of the area.

The Art School says it will seek to begin discussions immediately with the city, government, stakeholders and potential partners over the proposal.

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.

“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.

“Glasgow is home to more than a third of all the creative and cultural sector businesses in Scotland. Many of the institutions that define and drive Glasgow and Scotland’s creative sector are based within a mile of the School.

“The board believes that the reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building can and should be part of a heritage-led economic regeneration project, building on the existing creative and cultural production assets within this part of the city, to strengthen Glasgow’s creative eco-system and its position as one of the UK’s leading creative economies.”

Glasgow School of Art gutted by fire STV News

The building will soon see the removal of the external scaffold, which has been in place since the 2018 fire, to achieve “full stabilisation”. It will be replaced by an internal retention system.

The report describes the current arrangement – where the remains of the building depend on extensive temporary scaffolding and shoring – as a financial and operational burden that delivers “no meaningful progress” towards restoration.

The school also has plans to create “museum-standard” interpretations of the building to exist alongside its retained architectural elements.

These will “help tell the story of this remarkable place and the people who have worked and studied there for years to come”, according to the board.

The report outlines that the school has managed to grow student numbers without the Mackintosh Building being part of its operational estate.

It adds: “While the Mackintosh Building has historically been an important asset for the GSA, delivery
of the institution’s strategic ambitions has not been dependent on its availability.”

Following the report’s publication, the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society has urged the Scottish and UK Governments, alongside Glasgow City Council, to work together to fully reinstate the building.

Matthew Williams, director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society said: “I welcome Glasgow School of Art’s announcement today and the Society looks forward to playing its part in the future reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building.

“I call upon UK and Scottish governments to work with Glasgow City Council and others to provide focus and funding for the project. The Mackintosh Building has been at the heart of Britain’s cultural life for over a century and it should be rebuilt as soon as possible. Today is an important first step.”

Michael Dale, chairman of the council of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society added: “It is good to finally see progress toward reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building. For too long, its future has been uncertain. The public are crying out for it to be rebuilt and governments must now seize the opportunity to reinstate this iconic building.

“As custodians of Mackintosh Queen’s Cross the Society sees hundreds of international visitors who continue to be disappointed that rebuilding the Mack is not already under way. The Society will support the reinstatement of the building in any way that it can.”

Katerina Brown, chief executive officer of Historic Environment Scotland, described the announcement as a “milestone” in securing the building’s long-term future.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) also called for government help to secure the building’s future.

They described the Mackintosh as “one of the most important buildings in Scotland and the UK”, adding that is is “innovative, full of narrative, technically advanced and a piece of art in itself”.

“The Glasgow School of Art should be commended for working proactively with architects to identify options focusing on a positive future for this amazing building”, they said in a statement.

“We support the School’s proposed approach to stablise the facade complete with stone repairs, thereby enabling all possible options for the building’s future, including its faithful reinstatement which we feel should remain everyone’s preferred outcome. This approach re-presents the building to the city and people of Glasgow after too many years behind scaffolding, and will serve as a visible reminder if any were needed of why it is so important.

“The Glasgow School of Art has concluded that the School cannot take forward the faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh building on its own. That is true: a building of such national importance requires a national response if future generations are not to curse us for its loss or mutilation.

“We need leadership from the Scottish and UK Governments to find the resources needed to ensure the faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building, and to secure its future as a revitalised creative hub serving Glasgow, Scotland and the world.”