Glasgow School of Art will be rebuilt after devastating fire

Last month, a fire tore through the Glasgow School of Art, demolishing the majority of the building’s interior, which had just undergone an immaculate restoration after an earlier fire in 2014. This second fire—much larger than the first—destroyed the architectural landmark that Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed in the early 20th century.

The flames torched the interior and roof of the building, leaving a stone facade shell. By all accounts, it was devastating. After two fires in four years, many have questioned whether the renowned piece of architecture should be rebuilt. Following the 2014 fire, the school commissioned a $52 million gut renovation that included a detailed restoration of the building’s famed Art Nouveau library.

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Though it’s too early to tell exactly how much the new rebuild will cost, Glasgow School of Art director, Tom Inns, says it’s absolutely going to happen. “We’re going to rebuild the Mackintosh building,” Inns told The Guardian. “There’s been a huge amount of speculation about what should happen with the site and quite rightly so, but from our point of view and that of the city of Glasgow, it is critically important that the building comes back as the Mackintosh building.”

The site is still under investigation, which means there’s no word on how much (if at all) of the original structure will remain intact, but a debate is already underway around how faithful the reconstruction should be to Mackintosh’s brilliant original design. Stay tuned.

Via: The Guardian