Glasgow Trail Blazes Mackintosh Style
The launch of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Trail Ticket is making it easier than ever before for visitors to Glasgow to access and appreciate the works of the city’s Art Nouveau genius.
The ticket is priced at £10 ($18 / €15) and gives users combined entry to all paying Mackintosh attractions in the city and the Hill House in Helensburgh as well as unlimited travel on Subway and FirstBus services in Greater Glasgow.
It also reinforces the theme of the city’s recent rebranding as Glasgow: Scotland with style, which pays homage to the Mackintosh legacy and the ‘Glasgow Style’ movement of the early 1900s. Indeed, one of the two launch advertisements for the campaign described the city as ‘Mackintosh’s Art Nouveau masterpiece’.
Over the last two decades Glasgow has become a world-renowned model of post-industrialisation and now welcomes 3.2 million tourists annually who generate in the region of £700 million in local economic benefit.
The campaign, which positions Glasgow as a cosmopolitan European city as well as a modern, dynamic location for investment and tourism aims to drive Glasgow up the European league table of cities and build on the significant progress made in transforming the city over the past twenty years.
Mackintosh made his sublime mark on three types of architecture – public buildings, private houses and tea-rooms – with the majority of these existing within the city of Glasgow. Together with his wife Margaret Macdonald, her sister Frances, and Herbert McNair, he was responsible for laying the foundations of ‘the Glasgow Style’. His buildings are notable for the elegance and clarity of their spatial concepts, the skilful exploitation of natural and artificial lighting, and detailing. An outstanding architect, designer, and artist, Mackintosh has been hailed as one of the principal founders of European Art Nouveau.
Scott Taylor, chief executive – Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, commented:
“Mackintosh was the trailblazer of not only the Glasgow Style movement but also European Art Nouveau. This new initiative will facilitate easy access to Mackintosh's works and encourage even more visitors to discover his unique architectural legacy to Glasgow.
"The combination of Subway and FirstBus transport, coupled with entry to attractions, will make the Mackintosh Trail Ticket a vital addition to the city's tourism product."
Mackintosh Trail tickets are available from SPT travel centres, VisitScotland - Glasgow Information Centre, participating attractions and online at www.crmsociety.com
The Mackintosh buildings covered by the new ticket are:
- The Daily Record building – Lying between two city-centre lanes, west of Drury Street Mackintosh surprises us with his striking use of colour on the facade skilfully combining sculpted sandstone and white glazed bricks to maximise light. Only the Mackintosh exterior survives.
- Glasgow School of Art – Possibly Mackintosh’s masterpiece, a perfect synthesis of form, function and location, which still inspires students today. Located close to Sauchiehall Street, GSA has provided a light and airy environment for generations of budding artists and designers. Hour-long tours run daily. (See note to editors for redevelopment news).
- The Hill House, Helensburgh – 20 miles outside the city overlooking the Clyde Estuary, the Hill House is a family home originally designed for the publisher Walter Blackie and now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
- House for an Art Lover, Bellahouston Park – Completed in 1996 from drawings submitted as a competition entry to a German design magazine in 1901 the House contains a permanent exhibition of decorative furnished rooms, realised by contemporary artists.
- The Lighthouse - The former Glasgow Herald building is now home to Scotland's award winning centre for architecture, design and the city. The Mackintosh Interpretation Centre contains original objects, interactive touch screens and architectural models. The Mackintosh tower with its spiral staircase provides magnificent rooftop views.
- The Mackintosh House, Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow Principal interiors of 6 Florentine Terrace, Glasgow - home of Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh from 1906 to 1914 – and meticulously reassembled within the University's Art Gallery. Changing displays from the Mackintosh Collection in the upstairs gallery.
- Martyr’s Public School - Built on Parson Street where Mackintosh was born, this solid red sandstone construction is topped by three ventilators with highly decorative finials. Inside there are lime-wash plaster walls and spectacular roof trusses.
- Queen’s Cross Church – the only complete church designed by Mackintosh to be actually realised and now the headquarters of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society.
- Ruchill Church Hall - Built as a mission before the adjacent church. It consists principally of two halls and two committee rooms, all currently used by the active congregation, and is considered to be a well-planned minor work.
- Scotland Street School Museum - Mackintosh's last major commission in Glasgow. Impressive leaded glass towers, magnificent tiled entrance hall, unique stonework and mastery of the interplay of light and space. Period classrooms, exhibitions, and activity programmes throughout the year.
- The Willow Tea Rooms, Sauchiehall Street - Behind the remarkable facade, which Mackintosh created for Kate Cranston, tea and light meals are still served in the lilac and silver Room de Luxe and The Gallery.
The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society meanwhile has announced plans for a ‘Mackintosh Month’ in 2006. Events will be held throughout the month of September to celebrate the life and work of the City’s Art Nouveau genius, including the centenary of Scotland Street School and exhibitions of work by his contemporaries Herbert McNair and Talwin Morris at the Hunterian Art Gallery and Glasgow School of Art, respectively.
ENDS
Issued by and further information from:
Moira Dyer, Senior Manager – Public Relations
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau
Tel: ( 00 44 (0) 141 566 0831
Email: moira.dyer@seeglasgow.com
Notes to Editors
1. Information on Mackintosh contained above comes from the CRM Society web site www.crmsociety.com and www.greatbuildings.com
2. The Glasgow: Scotland with style campaign is part supported by the European Regional Development Fund through the 2000-2006 Western Scotland Objective 2 Programme
3. Images of some of the featured Mackintosh buildings are available for download from the Media Office at www.seeglasgow.com
4. The Glasgow School of Art is to undergo a £7 million redevelopment scheme which will bring the building back as close to Mackintosh’s original design as possible. The development will see the removal of modern architectural additions, repairs to general wear and tear and the addition of a new visitor and research centre. The popular guided tours of the building will also be extended to allow visitors access to the director’s room, the boardroom and the basement. The redevelopment of the School has been made possible thanks to a grant of £4.46 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is hoped remainder of the funds will be raised through further grants and private fundraising. The first phase of the redevelopment will begin in Spring 2007.
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