Description: Charles Rennie Mackintosh, outstanding architect, furniture designer, and painter, is one of the most innovative figures of the early 20th century. Born in 1868 near Glasgow Cathedral, he is one of the most celebrated architects of his generation. His designs out of favour in his latter days gained in popularity in the decades following his death in London in 1928.
Mackintosh pioneered the Modern Movement in Britain. Artistic collaboration with his wife Margaret Macdonald, whom he first met at Glasgow School of Art, extended his frontiers. He took his inspiration from Scottish traditions and blended them with the flourish of Art Nouveau and the simplicity of Japanese forms. By skilful exploitation of natural and artificial lighting and use of detail, his buildings are notable for their elegance and fitness for purpose.
Some of his furniture pieces have become icons. These employ mostly simple straight lines, curves, triangles, rectangles and grids. His colours are mostly black, white, red, blue and green.
He won a competition to design the Glasgow School of Art, his first commission and most important building. Sited at the edge of a steeply sloping south-facing hill, the building stretches along an entire block. Built between 1897 and 1909 it reflects his genius.
Mackintosh ignored the architecture of Greece and Rome as unsuitable for the climate, and needs of Scotland. He believed that a revival of the Scottish Baronial style, adapted to modern society suited better. His buildings display this belief.
He designed everything about the Art School, the interiors in collaboration with his future wife Margaret Macdonald. Art nouveau floral and geometric motifs bring scale and colour to the rooms in the details contained in mantle pieces, lighting fixtures, carpets, furniture, and crockery.
He felt that each design should work as a whole to which each detail contributes. Mackintosh's believed the most essential features of a building should have ornamentation. To this end he employed art nouveau motifs of floral and geometric motifs in the ironwork and tiles, and modern materials and techniques such as large, industrial windows.
Roomy art studios along the north side with large windows give students well-lit working spaces while smaller ancillary rooms and offices make up the back. The library built in 1906 on the west, I found curious. Darkly finished wood pillers supports its mezzanine and ceiling. The pendant light fixtures, glass bookcases, carved balusters, chairs and work tables are all designed with art nouveau motifs, polychrome paint and metal details. All surfaces are dark except for tiny touches of red, blue and green. It avoids distractions but is scarcely stimulating.
He plays with people’s perceptions as the building appearing almost upside-down with rooms such as arched cellars appearing at the top of the building.
While I engage in design as a recreational woodturner my work is in balance. His often appears out of balance. A person on my escorted tour of the building reckoned that is the difference between art and design. It has created icons out of some of Mackintosh’s designs.
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