The Lighthouse
Originally designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1895 as the headquarters for the Glasgow Herald newspaper, The Lighthouse opened in July 1999 at a cost of £13 million during the city’s reign as UK City of Architecture and Design.
 |
As Scotland's first, dedicated, national centre for architecture and design, The Lighthouse’s vision is to develop the links between design, architecture, and the creative industries, seeing these as interconnected social, educational, economic and cultural issues of concern to everyone.
The centre’s Mack Room provides visitors with a detailed understanding of Mackintosh's work and cultural significance as well as a helpful guide to key Mackintosh sites in and around the city. The transformation and development of the original Glasgow Herald building (Mackintosh's first public commission) also features in the centre.
Amongst the main attractions are: a time-line wall showing Mackintosh’s achievements in a wider social; historical and cultural context; interactive display and access to the Mackintosh Tower, which is part of the original 1895 design and offers stunning views over the city.
|
Spanning six floors, The Lighthouse offers a changing programme of world-class exhibitions, displays and events as well as the Vitra Conference Suite, design shop and stylish rooftop café/bar.
Produced for the Glasgow Mackintosh Festival 2006, local architect David Page gives a tour of the building through The Lighthouse Podwalk.
Visitors to The Lighthouse can also check out the new Mackintosh Pocket Museum PDA. This hand-held device lets you discover a wealth of architectural masterpieces by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and gain access to a massive back catalogue of his work.
You can also enjoy a virtual tour of other Mackintosh venues!