Fire-ravaged Glasgow art school could be rebuilt with digital map
THE Glasgow School of Art could be rebuilt after being gutted by a blaze thanks to a “remarkable” digital map of the structure but the cost could exceed £100 million.
Billy Hare, a professor of construction management, said there was a “growing consensus” that the facade of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece may have to be pulled down for safety reasons.
He warned that a conservative estimate for taking down then rebuilding the art school with a new internal frame would be at least £100million.
It emerged yesterday that a restoration project conducted after a smaller blaze in 2014 had mapped every aspect of the building “down to the nearest millimetre”.
Miles Glendinning, a professor of architectural conservation, said the building “still exists digitally” and the only barriers to rebuilding it were time and money.
David Mundell, the Scottish secretary, said the art school – one of Britain’s most architecturally significant buildings – should be rebuilt if possible and the UK Government would contribute towards the cost.
Their interventions came as the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association said it was understood that automatic fire sprinklers had not been fully fitted as the building was still undergoing refurbishment from four years ago. It said: “It should be realised that sprinklers can be fitted in buildings throughout construction on a temporary basis, as there is a considerable risk from fire during this period.”
Both Mr Mundell and Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish culture minister, rejected calls for a public inquiry as premature and said fire investigators should be allowed to complete their enquiries.
Around 50 firefighters were yesterday at the scene of the blaze, which broke out on Friday night and spread to nearby buildings including the O2 ABC, the music venue.
A few pockets of fire remained. The fire service said it was too early to speculate on the cause as forensic experts would not be able to gain access to the building until it had been made safe.
The Mackintosh building was undergoing a £25 million restoration project. The fire occurred only days after the 150th anniversary of the architect’s birth.