'The Mackintosh Building - Site, Light and Space' is a six-minute long animated programme exploring the design and phasing of the Glasgow School of Art building by the world-renowned architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The animation explains how the site that was chosen for the art school became a key factor in the fulfilment of one of its most important design requirements - how light would illuminate its sizable north-facing studio spaces. Using the method of sequential animation, it also shows how the building was built in two phases over a ten year period and how Mackintosh's initial design for the art school changed during this period while he drew on influences from his other building design projects. This change of design is reflected in the very different visual appearance of the East and West façades of the building.

The animation runs in the new 'Window on the Mackintosh' exhibition at the art school located in the Reid Building which opened in the spring of 2014. A selection of stills from this project are shown below. The animation is rendered as simple black and white line drawings as a means of simplifying the visual presentation and also intended to reflect Mackintosh's 1910 plan drawings of the Art School, copies of which can be viewed beside the animated display.

On 23rd May 2014, just as I was about to complete this project, a fire destroyed a large part of the building including the iconic Mackintosh Library and the work of many art students who were in the process of setting up their degree show exhibits. It was heart-breaking to watch the images of the building alight but grateful that due to the bravery and skill of the Scottish Fire Service, that much was saved. The building is currently undergoing restoration.