August 2 2019

The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society has launched an open architectural competition for a pair of contemporary house designs based on Mackintosh’s own ‘ideal’ artists residences first envisaged in 1900.

Twin Dwellings of Singular Interest invites contemporary re-imaginings of the landmark design which explore variations of this theme while reflecting both Mackintosh’s design legacy and the requirements of modern life.

CRM society director Stuart Robertson said: “We have been planning this competition for a while, in fact before the second catastrophic fire that destroyed the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art.

“The competition is such a great opportunity for students and practitioners to explore and develop their own beliefs and architectural convictions, similar to that of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.”

As part of the process, submissions will be solicited from a small number of famous architects from around the globe, although these entries will not be judged.

All submissions must be received by 8 November and will be subject to an entry fee of up to £55.

9 Comments

#1 Posted by Robert Knox on 2 Aug 2019 at 17:10 PM

I really just wish they'd leave the poor guy alone.

#2 Posted by Basil Spent on 3 Aug 2019 at 10:03 AM

Interesting concept for a competition but wouldn't an ideas competition for the future of the School of Art be more relevant and generate more awareness/publicity?

#3 Posted by boaby wan on 4 Aug 2019 at 20:26 PM

At what point will RIAS step in and offer some comment on the recent nonsense competitions being run by public organisations - given their new manifesto we've all been asked to comment on, it would make the words a bit more believable if there was some action to match.

#4 Posted by Jonathan on 5 Aug 2019 at 10:24 AM

I agree with Basil it is an interesting idea, but asking Architects to give up as lot of time and effort to design something that will never get built just because it has a connection to CRM is asking a lot.

Not having said that a useful exercise in promoting ideas and I'm sure that will appeal to those with enough spare time to give it what is deserves. Look forward to seeing some of the final outcomes.

#5 Posted by Sven on 5 Aug 2019 at 12:37 PM

#1 and 4, there is a huge appetite for CRM and so little of his work exists - 10 in the Greater Glasgow area if you include Helensburgh in that, perhaps more if we include work he had some hand in. We have 4 recent buildings based on his design - House for an Art Lover and The Artists Cottage project in Farr which built 3. Build it and they will come to quote a movie...

#6 Posted by Robert Knox on 5 Aug 2019 at 14:33 PM

#5 Dear Sven,

...Yeh, and that movie may as well be, 'Cool Hand Luke II' with Paul Newman II singin, 'Plastic Jesus'.

The point is - is nothin sacred in your world before the almighty dollah? Well, if they're ain't, then we sure is all goin to hell.

Talk about mackrophilia.

#7 Posted by Sven on 5 Aug 2019 at 15:19 PM

Am not getting your point. House of an Art Lover is not less architecture as it was built recently. It is it’s own building built to CRM design. There are very few buildings not adapted to over time and far removed from their architects intended design. If you think a new building built to CRM design is inauthentic then that is a point but it is still a CRM building. Sagrada Familia is still a Gaudi building despite him dead for almost 100 years.

#8 Posted by Robert Knox on 5 Aug 2019 at 16:50 PM

Dear Sven,
The main point is, I'm talking about the indeterminable aspect of an actual historical person's 'soul' and creative work here, (who just happened to be a truly international genius) and I guess, the ethics of the inevitable commercial exploitation of that. I just happen to be agin this, others may differ.

#9 Posted by Kenny Kitchens on 6 Aug 2019 at 17:11 PM

It's the Mocking Tosh time again.................

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