Scotland Street School

Scotland Street School Rendering

Mackintosh's 1903 rendering for Scotland Street School. The school, finished in 1906, was his last complete building. It's interesting to note that in contrast to his rendering for Martyr's school in 1895 this one has no happy school children in the foreground. It marks a point in Mackintosh's drawing and painting in which his buildings and landscapes are devoid of human existence.
The School At Dusk

The school was a commission for Honeyman, Keppie & and Macintosh and was designed by Mackintosh in 1903 within the strict limitations of the school board's budget. Showing that he was not without guile he produced two sets of drawings. One set was for the board which adhered to their requirements and the other set, with a more elaborate decorative scheme was issued directly to the Clerk of Works for construction to start in December, 1904.
Tower Detail

The cylindrical towers of glass and masonry contain don't utilize spiral staircases but instead use traditional dog-leg stairs with half-landings. These towers with their curtain of vertical windows visually reduces the mass of the facade of the building and seems to make it soar from it's foundation.
Embellishment On The Rear Elevation.

It was not until almost a year later that the School Board caught on to Macintosh's game. By then Mackintosh had made significant changes in much of the building's design including the carved ornamental details on the otherwise flat rear elevation.
Another Rear Detail

These details make the rear elevation a wonderful surprise. Instead of just red stone and windows Mackintosh has added character to what would have been an otherwise very bland rear elevation.
The Main Entrances

As was typical of the time there were separate entrances for boys and girls. In Mackintosh's symmetrical scheme, infants have their own entrance in the center of the building.
The Main Entrance and Hall

Ground floor interior with the white and green tile. One can just close their eyes and imagine children being children in the bright cheery interior. Mackintosh had favored a black tile scheme but did not get his way in this instance, no doubt for the best.
The Tower Half-Landing.

The tower half-landing provides wonderful uninterrupted vertical views
The Tower From The Interior

The tower half-landing provides wonderful uninterrupted vertical views. This is a view to the top of the tower. After World War II the complexion of Glasgow changed considerably. The ship building industry declined drastically and it was this part of Glasgow, called Kingston, that saw much of its population move to other parts of the city. Scotland Street closed as a school in 1979 with just 89 pupils remaining. It had been built for 1250. It formally reopened as the Scottish Museum of Education in 1990.

It was not until almost a year later that the School Board caught on to Macintosh's game. By then Mackintosh had made significant changes in much of the building's design including the carved ornamental details on the otherwise flat rear elevation.

These details make the rear elevation a wonderful surprise. Instead of just red stone and windows Mackintosh has added character to what would have been an otherwise very bland rear elevation.

As was typical of the time there were separate entrances for boys and girls. In Mackintosh's symmetrical scheme, infants have their own entrance in the center of the building.

Ground floor interior with the white and green tile. One can just close their eyes and imagine children being children in the bright cheery interior. Mackintosh had favored a black tile scheme but did not get his way in this instance, no doubt for the best.

The tower half-landing provides wonderful uninterrupted vertical views