House for an Art Lover

Music Room, the fireplace on the east wall, detail; The House for an Art Lover is based on a concept design produced in 1901 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh with his wife, Margaret MacDonald. The building is situated in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Scotland, built on the former site of Ibrox Hill House. Construction began in 1989 and the house was finally opened to the public in 1996. Mackintosh's original designs were interpreted and realised under architect and professor Andrew MacMillan, with contributions by many contemporary artists. Original portfolio designs are displayed in each room to allow comparisons. The spirit and tenacity of consulting engineer, Graham Roxburgh, led to the idea of building the House in the late eighties. (Roxburgh was responsible for the refurbishment of adjacent Craigie Hall which contains original Mackintosh interiors.) The house was originally designed for an ideas competition set by the German design magazine Zeitschrift für Innendekoration for a "Haus eines Kunstfreundes" (Art Lover's House). Despite disqualification due to late entry, the portfolio was awarded a prize for "pronounced personal quality, novel and austere form and the uniform configuration of interior and exterior". Source: House for an Art Lover [website]; http://www.houseforanartlover.co.uk/ (accessed 5/14/2009