Very sad news, a fire has torn through the Glasgow School of Art, and it looks like it has destroyed the famous Macintosh Library.

Live info here, I'm sure more conclusive things will come out in the next few days.

I imagine, depending on the outcome of this years independence referendum, it would have been one of the key sites put forward by a future independent Scotland as a WHS, there has been a fair bit of talk of it in the past, and having visited I certainly would say it had OUV.

Very sad news indeed.

A bit more than just "talk" - it was proposed in 2010 for inclusion on UK's current T List (Together with another Macintosh building - Hill House at Helensburgh) but was not selected
"The Panel considered that the nominated buildings did not have potential OUV in their own right. A number of urban sites inscribed on the WH List already contain significant Art Nouveau architecture. They noted the significance of Mackintosh as an architect in Europe but noted also that much of his influence was through the published designs of unbuilt structures. The Panel also noted that there was uncertainty about the overall significance of the work of Mackintosh and other contemporary architects"

See pages 61/2 of this
http://old.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/Review-WH-Tentative-List-Report_March20 11.pdf

Nevertheless the fire is indeed a great shame and the destruction of the interior is a major artistic loss (we have visited both buildings and they can really only be appreciated via their interiors). Whether they are really of "less" significance/value than the works of some other architects which have previously found their way onto the "List" in their own right is certainly open to debate!!

Another fire, just as the restoration was nearing completion. Early on this one seems too be even more extensive than the previous one.

I'm sure more will come out in time, but this is pretty devestating for one of the finest buildings in Britain.

Initial reports

I just saw this on the news last night; very unfortunate.