Monday, October 11, 2010

Glasgow School of Art


Built in 1909 and designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the Glasgow School of Art is one of Glasgow's most distinctive buildings.  The fenestration is key to the whole design as the intent was to bring as much natural light into the studios as possible.  I found this "off limits to the regular visitor" corridor to be exemplary of this.  Wood framed skylights and single paned square frames are typical throughout.  It is difficult understand from the outside of a building how important natural light is to creating an atmosphere on the interior.  

The importance of glazing is never just the effect from looking into the building, but the effect that is achieved by looking out. These are some extremely large window openings for a building of this era and I wonder what the original glazing on the front looked like.  These windows are modern aluminum curtainwall replacements, but the side windows appear to be the original wood sashes. 

Beautiful old windows.  We sure don't make windows or buildings like this anymore. 

Isole Borromee