The Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh building is to be rebuilt within four to seven years, as a programme to remove dangerous parts of the building following June’s fire nears completion.
- Kier contract on Glasgow School of Art terminated
- Work to dismantle fire-ravaged Mackintosh building begins
The blaze at the building, which was being renovated as part of a £25m contract by Kier following an earlier fire, broke out in June this year.
It had been feared that the historic building would not be reconstructed such was the extent of the damage.
Muriel Gray, the writer and broadcaster who chairs the board of the Glasgow School of Art told the Herald Scotland that the board was unanimous in its desire to rebuild the building as Mackintosh intended it.
The project is estimated to take four to seven years and is set to cost around £100m, which Gray said she hoped would largely be paid for through insurance cover and a private fundraising drive.
Gray told the paper: "This time it will be built with such knowledge and expertise that we have learned since 2014.
"We are resolved that the Mackintosh comes back as a working art school, as a major player, a cultural leader for the city and the Scottish economy."
Work to dismantle dangerous sections of the building brick by brick began in July and last week the Glasgow School of Art said the work was almost complete.
Bracing scaffolding has been completed on the east gable and north-east facade, making the south, east and around half of the north side of the building "completely safe".
However, the Glasgow School of Art has advised Glasgow City Council that it is very likely additional work will be needed on the library tower on the south west corner beyond the eight-week programme. The extent of the work required will only be clear once the existing scaffolding has been cleared away.
