steven holl discusses reid building at glasgow school of art
image courtesy of spirit of space

 

 

 

in collaboration with creative agency spirit of space, steven holl architects has created two short films which document the practice’s work at the glasgow school of art, which opened in april 2014. the series examines the relationship between holl’s extension and charles rennie mackintosh’s 1909 masterpiece. the first movie features steven holl and senior partner chris mcvoy discussing the design of the ‘reid building’, offering insights into the scheme’s development and defining characteristics. the second film takes viewers on a poetic walk through the school’s social circuit, which purposefully encourages inter-disciplinary activity.

 

 


reid building at the glasgow school of art, a conversation with steven holl & chris mcvoy
video by spirit of space / courtesy of steven holl architects

 

 

 

mackintosh was someone who broke ground, make a language, turned his back on history and forged forward for a kind of new architecture that he invented. more than anything, I thought that I could show that I sincerely connected this, (the reid building), to mackintosh. even though this building is very abstract’, explained holl.

 

I studied all the ways that light comes into the mackintosh building, and discovered many different interesting things. one of them in particular is in the library where there are these three storey elements in glass – we call them ‘driven voids of light’. we transferred that into this idea of concrete driven voids, which would hold the building up, bring light in and circulate the air. they would do everything for the building.

 

see designboom‘s previous coverage of the ‘reid building‘ at the glasgow school of art here.

 

 


reid building at the glasgow school of art, steven holl architects
video by spirit of space / courtesy of steven holl architects

 

steven holl glasgow school of art video designboom
the project is envisioned as a complimentary contrast to charles rennie mackintosh’s iconic 1909 building
image © iwan baan

steven holl glasgow school of art video designboom
the juxtaposing materiality of the two structures
image © iwan baan

steven holl glasgow school of art video designboom
studios are positioned along the northern façade with large inclined areas of glazing
image © iwan baan

steven holl glasgow school of art video designboom
concrete voids hold the building up, bring in light and circulate air
image © chris mcvoy