MSA Stage 4 School of Architecture

Lucy Fairbrother (She/her)

Contact
lucyfairbrother1@gmail.com
L.Fairbrother1@student.gsa.ac.uk
Works
MACMAG 48
Dennistoun Heritage Museum

MACMAG 48

Creative Allies

This year’s edition of MacMag seeks to explore the relationship between the arts and architecture. Through a range of conversations and articles we explore the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary practice, showcasing a celebration of diversity in our architectural education and industry.
The Mackintosh School of Architecture sits within a unique context both geographically and socially; the art school’s presence poses as an intrenchment on the architecture school’s values. This enrichment for the school comes from a reliance on the arts, both academically and in an informal social relationship. MSA prides itself on its contextual relationship with the art school. Our building, the Bourdon, sits with other studios filled with artists, photographers and fashion designers across the street. As students, it is inevitable to be immersed in a diverse array of creative disciplines, whether consciously or subconsciously. This exposure has a profound impact on students’ perspectives, their creative output, and the trajectory of their professional journey beyond academia. Our interviews with Will Knight, former MSA student turned artist, and Andy Summers, an architect, educator and curator, explore this idea further.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who our school is named after, is a prime example of where this collaboration between the arts can be seen working at its best. Charles, and fellow architecture student James Herbert MacNair, formed a creative alliance with sisters Margaret and Frances Macdonald, day students at GSA, to produce an innovative and distinctive design style which came to be known as the ‘Glasgow style’.  We are reminded of Mackintosh’s legacy every time we pass by the Mackintosh Building. We delved into his work and his approach to the arts and architecture in our conversation with Liz Davidson
The school’s ability for dawning professional and social relationships with the arts is clear. Though can we assume this is carried through to practice?
As students of the Glasgow School of Art we pose the question: what is the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary practice? How do the arts manifest in this? We ask, where is the line between arts and architecture and is this line continuously moving?

Macmag cover

Introduction

MSA School Photo

Table of Contents

In Conversation with Will Knight

Will Knight Watercolour

In conversation with Marc Cairns and Becca Thomas

In conversation with Liz Davidson

Nancy Marrs Article

The polarity of Architecture within the world of Ceramics.

Dennistoun Heritage Museum

This project began by reassessing on the memory of buffalo bill visiting Dennistoun in 1906 as a catalyst to look at the connections to colonialism of this story and then Dennistoun’s connections to colonialism. which recognised the part Dennistoun later played fighting oppression against the Glasgow housing association protecting their neighbourhood. Meaning a lot of Dennistoun’s built heritage has been retained. the museum uses Dennistoun’s story to host a reconnection within the neighbourhood.
As Dennistoun in the last 20 years has experienced rapid gentrification driven by students who pose a threat to the heritage of Dennistoun as they fail to connect with the neighbourhood and existing residents due to the short amount of time they individually reside in the area. This break in the neighbourhood can be repaired by a museum to educate of the importance of Dennistoun’s heritage and story.
The area is at risk of losing that history due to gentrification
Due to the housing crisis experienced by students in the centre the neighbourhood is experiencing an influx of students to the area raising housing prises in Dennistoun pushing out the local community. students pose a threat to the heritage of the neighbourhood as they have little connection to the community as they do not stay in the area for a long time. this movement in Dennistoun’s demographic is creating a break in connection between Dennistoun’s inhabitants and Dennistoun’s story. the museum will pose as a heritage retainment post to save the built heritage and historical moments of importance which have shaped Dennistoun as we know it today.
The museums auditorium provides a gathering space for the community to connect with each other in a space out with religious spaces which Dennistoun is in lack of.
The museums exhibits tells a story of the experience living in Dennistoun through the years, the important historical moments which have shaped Dennistoun such as the origin, Buffalo bills exhibition in 1906 and the pioneering movement by the Reid-vale housing association.

Dennistoun Museum Site Axonometric

Craigpark Street View

Milnbank Street view

Community Walled Garden

Interior View

Museum Cafe Space

Section