Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Fire engulfs Glasgow School of Art.

Glasgow's world-renowned School of Art has been gutted by another huge blaze, four years after part of the building was destroyed by fire.

Flames ripped through the celebrated Mackintosh building after it caught fire at about 23:20 on Friday.

The blaze spread to nearby buildings, including the Campus nightclub and O2 ABC music venue, which suffered "extensive damage".

The renovated Mackintosh library had been due to reopen next year.

It was destroyed in the blaze that ripped through the building in May 2014. It was being restored in a project estimated to cost up to £35m.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Peter Heath said the fire damage was "exceptionally significant".

He said it was likely that all the restoration work carried out since the last fire had been destroyed.

About 50 firefighters were still tackling Friday's blaze with nine fire engines and four-high reach appliances at the scene.

A spokesman said the blaze had now been largely contained, however, a few pockets of fire remained.

Image copyright PA Image caption The art school building has been devastated by the fire

Image copyright Police Scotland Image caption The Art School building and those around it are devastated as a result of the fire

Image copyright Google Earth Image caption How the buildings, including the restoration work of the Art School, looked before the fire

Unlike four years ago, art students were not using the now fire-ravaged building for their degree work.

An exhibition by graduating students took place at the nearby McLellan Galleries and the school of art's Reid Building.

A statement from the school of art described the fire as "devastating".

It added: "The Glasgow School of Art's immediate focus is on our students, and on the continuing operation of the GSA to ensure minimum disruption to students and staff.

"The GSA and all of its buildings will remain closed for the next week, and we will provide updates as and when information is available."

Fire crews are concentrating efforts on all four sides of the buildings, from Dalhousie Street to Sauchiehall Street and into Renfrew Street.

Nearby homes have been evacuated as a precaution. There are not thought to have been any injuries.

At its height, a total of 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines were at the scene.

SFRS area manager David Young said: "The fire has now largely been contained but this remains a protracted incident and our efforts very much continue at this stage to extinguish the fire and ensure the community is protected.

"There will be disruption around Dalhousie Street, Sauchiehall Street and Renfrew Street and I would advise the public to avoid these areas at this present time.

Firefighters sent to the scene had been faced with "an extremely challenging and complex incident", Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell said earlier. All floors of the building were affected.

Image copyright PA

Firefighters used water from the River Clyde to tackle the blaze, resulting in a number of road closures in the area.

Insp Catherine McNally, of Police Scotland, praised the response of both the public and nearby licensed premises which were asked to evacuate.

The morning after

Graham Fraser, BBC news website

Image copyright Getty Images

Parts of Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street look normal for a Saturday morning. The rain falls heavily on top of chip boxes, the remnants providing breakfast for many a hungry bird.

But the presence of fire engines, police officers, bewildered passers-by and an acrid smell of smoke in the air indicate this is far from normal.

Smoke still billows from the Glasgow School of Art, the Campus nightclub and the O2 ABC venue, with all the streets around the area closed.

Once again, the people of Glasgow are watching on as one of its most famous buildings is on fire.

Once again, the words "so sad" are heard on every corner.

Ben, an eyewitness, told the BBC the latest fire looked "much worse" than the previous one.

"This is a blaze, the building is just going up like a tinderbox. It's quite shocking," he said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Glasgow School of Art 'extensively damaged'

At the scene

Aileen Clarke, BBC Scotland

Water is still being pumped onto Glasgow School of art this morning, though firefighters now say they have contained the blaze which has so extensively ravaged the Mackintosh building there may still be pockets of fire flaring up.

The operation on the ABC building next door they still describe as active firefighting, the fire spread to the roof of that building though it's smoke more than flames visible from the street, now.

Deputy assistant chief fire officer Peter Heath says there is damage to every part of the Mackintosh building, and the fire had such a grip of the building when they arrived here just after 23:15 last night, that they don't know where it started let alone how.

Initial impressions are that it seems unlikely that any of the restoration work carried out since fire ripped through the building four years ago, will have survived this latest blaze.

Connor Neil, 22, said people were being evacuated from their homes and there was a "big orange light" which could be seen from streets away.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The building was undergoing restoration works after the previous fire in 2014

One Twitter user posted a video of the O2's roof appearing to collapse as firefighters sprayed water onto the building from an aerial platform.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Large crowds gathered and looked on as firefighters tackled the blaze

Image copyright EPA Image caption The fire ripped through the newly-restored building on Friday night

Image copyright Rocco Giudice Image caption The fire could be seen throughout Glasgow city centre

Stuart Robertson, the director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, said the second fire was "unbelievable".

"It is like deja vu from four years ago," he said.

"Last weekend was a joyous occasion, we were celebrating Mackintosh's 150th birthday and the rebirth of the Willow Tea Rooms in Sauchiehall Street, the Hill House in Helensburgh is about to have major restoration and we were looking forward to the reopening of this building after four years since the last fire."

'Like a nightmare'

Mr Robertson said he had been in the building a few weeks ago to look at how the restoration was progressing.

He said the famous "hen-run" had been restored, work on the library was well under way and the studios "looked amazing".

"This is like a nightmare," he said.

"I can't put into words how heartbroken I feel."

Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney described the building, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, as "the most architecturally important building in Glasgow".

The Labour politician said the restoration effort had suffered a "horrific setback" which he hoped would be overcome.

"We cannot lose this building," he added.

Mr Sweeney went on to say: "The 1909 library extension, that was the origin of the 2014 blaze, is now fully alight too.

"It looks like the entire interior space is now fully alight.

"The best we can probably hope for is structural facade retention and a complete rebuild of the interior. Devastating."

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Firefighters remained at the scene on Saturday morning

Image copyright Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government stood "ready to provide any support" in the wake of the blaze.

She said the government's resilience room was activated as the fire developed overnight.

Paying tribute to the fire service and other emergency services, the first minister added: "This is a very sad morning in the city of Glasgow."

"This is clearly an extremely complex and large-scale incident, and one that is ongoing," she said.

"I would like to thank the emergency services for their continued efforts.

"The Scottish government stands ready to provide any support that may be required, now and in the period ahead."

Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell, who had visited the building only two weeks ago, said he was "devastated".

He said the government "stands ready to help, financially or otherwise".

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said "hard questions" needed to be asked as to why and how the building has suffered two serious fires in four years.

He said: "In the meantime, we can be relived that there appears to have been no serious casualties."

The Mackintosh building was completed in 1909 based on designs by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Scotland's most-lauded designer.

It has been described as "a working art school as well as a work of art", and has an A-list rating from Historic Scotland.

In recent years, the school has produced many of the UK's leading contemporary artists such as Douglas Gordon, Alison Watt, David Shrigley, and three recent Turner Prize winners: Simon Starling in 2005, Richard Wright in 2009 and Martin Boyce in 2011.

Other former students include actors Robbie Coltrane and Peter Capaldi, and artist Peter Howson.

The fire in 2014, caused by a faulty projector, destroyed the building's library, which was recognised as being one of the finest examples of art nouveau in the world.

Image copyright MCATEER PHOTOGRAPH Image caption The original Mackintosh library (pictured before the fire) was considered one of the finest examples of art nouveau in the world</s>The historic Glasgow School of Art in Scotland has been ravaged by a fire, just four years after it was devastated by another blaze.

Images posted on social media on Friday showed flames and smoke billowing from the roof of the Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh Building.

Flames and smoke slowed efforts by more than 120 firefighters to put out the blaze that started late Friday night.

Extensive damage was reported at a nearby nightclub as well while the fire also spread to neighboring properties, leading to several evacuations.

The school tweeted: "There is a fire at the Mackintosh Building. The fire brigade are currently on scene. We will report back with news updates as soon as possible."

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Fire ravaged the building in May 2014, and a restoration project had been returning the art school to its former glory.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deputy assistant Peter Heath said the fire was “extensive” and affected every floor of the building, including those that were being restored. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said she was heartbroken by the fire, tweeting: "This is clearly an extremely serious situation. My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people - but my heart also breaks for Glasgow's beloved @GSofA."

She later wrote: "Such a sad morning in Glasgow. So relieved that there has been no loss of life. And so full of admiration and gratitude for @fire_scot. But it is hard to find words to convey the utter devastation felt here and around the world for the iconic Mackintosh building"

Paul Sweeney, the shadow Scottish minister, tweeted: “Devastated that a major fire has broken out at the Glasgow School of Art tonight," adding that it was "the most architecturally important building in Glasgow."

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Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the UK government "stands ready to help" deal with the aftermath of the fire at the building.

The Glasgow School of Art is one of Scotland’s most treasured buildings.

It was designed by celebrated Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and built between 1897 and 1909.

Officials said Saturday morning the fire was not completely out but was under control, and latest television footage showed firefighters continuing to spray jets of water at the building to try and prevent further damage.

The cause was not immediately clear.

Flames and smoke slowed efforts by more than 120 firefighters to put out the blaze that started late Friday night. Extensive damage was reported at a nearby nightclub as well.

The landmark building had been due to reopen next year after restoration following the 2014 fire.</s>More than 120 firefighters were battling the blaze Saturday morning, which has swept through the art school's Mackintosh Building and is spreading to adjoining buildings, including a nightclub.

The alarm was raised at about 11:20 p.m. local time on Friday, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement.

Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell said it was "an extremely challenging and complex incident" that would take time to bring under control. No casualties have been reported.

"The fire has taken hold several properties including the 02 ABC nightclub causing extensive damage," Bushell said.

"This will be a prolonged incident and crews will remain on the scene as they work to prevent further fire spread and damage." The Mackintosh Building -- designed by the famed Scottish art nouveau architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh -- was badly damaged by fire in May 2014 and had been undergoing extensive renovation work since. It had been expected to reopen next year. Builders at work in the Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh Library in 2015. Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, tweeted her relief that people were safe but said her heart was also breaking for Glasgow's "beloved" School of Art. Once again, we are indebted to the bravery of our firefighters and other emergency services. This is clearly an extremely serious situation. My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people - but my heart also breaks for Glasgow's beloved @GSofA https://t.co/G0adVwlF20 — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) June 16, 2018 Paul Sweeney, the member of Parliament for Glasgow North East, tweeted that he was devastated by the blaze. Scottish Fire and Rescue are "doing everything they can to salvage the most architecturally important building in Glasgow," he said. He said in another tweet: "A major reason the 2014 Glasgow School of Art fire spread so rapidly was because of the horizontal and vertical timber-lined air ducts that run through the building. I wouldn't be surprised if the same ducts have exacerbated the rapid and comprehensive spread of the fire tonight." As the fire spread, Sweeney, a former shipbuilder who describes himself a Glasgow architecture geek on his Twitter page, added that "the best we can probably hope for is structural façade retention and a complete rebuild of the interior." Nearby buildings that could be at risk from the fire have been evacuated, the fire service said. People living in the area are urged to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.</s>The rear elevation of the Glasgow School of Art is seen on fire, in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain Thomson Reuters GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - A major fire has ripped through one of Scotland's architectural gems, the Mackintosh building at the Glasgow School of Art, for the second time in four years, the Scottish fire service said on Saturday.

The fire broke out late on Friday and more than 120 firefighters tackled the blaze during the night as it gutted the 1909 building and spread to two others nearby, a night club and a music venue.

"This is an extremely challenging and complex incident, but the response and professionalism of our firefighters has been exceptional," said Iain Bushell, deputy chief officer of the Scottish fire and rescue service.

The Mackintosh building had been due to re-open next year after millions of pounds in restoration works following a May 2014 fire.

"My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people -- but my heart also breaks for Glasgow's beloved School of Art," Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter.

The Mackintosh building is named after its architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Scotland's most influential designer. The School of Art's website says the building "heralded the birth of a new style in 20th century European architecture".</s>When Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art building was first unveiled in 1899, the half-finished building was deeply unpopular but Glasgow and the world grew to appreciate its architectural genius.

These days Charles Rennie Mackintosh's most famous architectural creation has come to be widely loved and cherished.

And there was a national and international outpouring of grief when it was first devastated by fire in 2014 and its magnificent library completely destroyed.
• Follow the latest on the devastating blaze

A massive restoration project was undertaken, with the library painstakingly recreated in very detail.

It would appear all that work has been destroyed and Mackintosh's masterpiece has again been consumed by fire.

It would have been hard to predict such affection for this building when it was first shown to the public on a rainy day in the last month of the 19th Century.

Over in the west of Glasgow, the new Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, by London architects Simpson and Allen, was taking shape.

It was grand, frothy and pleasingly symmetrical.

In contrast, the new Glasgow School of Art, at the back of Sauchiehall Street in the city centre, was having a more troubled birth.

The art school's maverick director, Fra Newberry, had chosen 31-year-old Mackintosh as the architect, despite him not being a partner in his firm and having only designed a couple of previous buildings.

Newberry knew Mackintosh because he was a former pupil at the art school.

Mackintosh had been a member of a group of radical students who dubbed themselves The Immortals.

Along with his friend James Herbert MacNair and the sisters Margaret and Frances Macdonald, they created innovative and, at times, controversial graphics and decorative art designs which formed the distinctive "Glasgow Style".

Newberry wanted to bring some of this style into his new art school building but the original budget only covered half of the plans and it was opened half-finished.

It was deeply unpopular, seeming to lack symmetry or logic.

Mackintosh was not invited to the opening ceremony.

But slowly over the decades Glasgow and the world grew to love this strange building, with its great grid-like structure and its iron work around the windows.

Inside the building there were dark corridors and studios drenched in sunlight as well as intimate alcoves, with simple yet beautiful designs.
• How do you recreate a masterpiece like the Mackintosh Library?
• Mackintosh and the rooms that inspired Europe

By 1907, funds had been raised to complete the school of art building.

The existing east facade resembled one of Mackintosh's Barionial castles but his new west facade was very different, with a trio of slender oriel windows- more linear, geometric.

This did not look like a Scottish fortress but more like the palace of a Japanese Shogun.

Encased behind the windows was the new library.

A space in which Mackintosh's style took yet another leap forward.

Designed around a central courtyard like that of a Japanese residence, balconies and verandas encircled the room. There were beams that created a wooden grid floating in space.

It eventually came to be seen as the most perfect room designed by this visionary architect.

Glasgow remained unsure of Mackintosh during his lifetime and his career ground to a halt soon after the completion of the school of art.

Mackintosh, who was described as having a satanic personality and drank heavily, was thought to have had a nervous breakdown and left his architectural firm in 1910.

The outbreak of World War One meant he got very little work and he ended up eeking out a living as an artist in London.

He spent some of his later years in the South of France and died in 1928 at the age of 60, having not worked on an architectural project for years.

2018 is the 150th anniversary of his birth and the city that once rejected him has been celebrating his legacy and architectural genius.

There are some other buildings in the city that bear the Mackintosh mark such as Scotland Street School and Queen Cross Church but the art school was his masterpiece and it has again been destroyed.</s>Firefighters are tackling a major blaze at Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh Building.

Images posted on social media showed flames and smoke billowing from the roof of the renowned art school on Friday night.

Fire ravaged the building in May 2014 and a multi-million pound restoration project has been returning the famous art school to its former glory.

Witness Aidan Dick said the fire and smoke grew in intensity “in the space of a few minutes”.

He tweeted: “Glasgow School of Art is on fire again. Heartbreaking. My thoughts go to all students and staff, and I hope no one was caught in the blaze.”

Glasgow School Art tweeted: “There is a fire at the Mackintosh Building. The fire brigade are currently on scene. We will report back with news updates as soon as possible.”

Shadow Scottish minister Paul Sweeney, Labour and Co-operative MP for Glasgow North East, tweeted: “Devastated that a major fire has broken out at the Glasgow School of Art tonight.

“The Mack has been undergoing restoration since the last devastating fire in 2014. @scotfire_glasgo are doing everything they can to salvage the most architecturally important building in Glasgow.”</s>GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - A major fire has torn through one of Scotland’s architectural gems, the Mackintosh building at the Glasgow School of Art, for the second time in four years.

More than 120 firefighters fought the blaze during the night as it gutted the 1909 building and spread to a theater and a nearby night club. No casualties were reported.

“The extent of the damage is very severe,” Peter Heath, deputy assistant chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, told reporters at the scene in Glasgow city center on Saturday morning.

The fire “has reached from the ground floor right through to the roof,” he said.

By morning the fire was under control, but smoke was still rising from the building as firefighters sprayed it from tall ladders. Heath said the theater was still on fire and its roof had partly collapsed, but the blaze was no longer spreading.

The Mackintosh building had been due to re-open next year after millions of pounds in restoration works following a fire in May 2014.

“My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people — but my heart also breaks for Glasgow’s beloved School of Art,” Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter.

The Mackintosh building is named after its architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Scotland’s most influential designer. The School of Art’s website says the building “heralded the birth of a new style in 20th century European architecture”.

Heath said fire crews were called about 20 minutes before midnight on Friday, and by the time they arrived fire had already spread to the whole building.

The area was quickly evacuated and cordoned off. It remained inaccessible to the public on Saturday morning.

“This is a devastating loss for Glasgow, absolutely devastating,” Heath said.</s>The Glasgow School of Art is now regarded as Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s architectural masterpiece and one of the finest buildings in the UK, but it was far from universally loved when it was first built

One critic questioned why a “house of correction, or poor house” had been put up on such prominent site in the centre of Glasgow.

But, like Mackintosh himself, the status of the building grew through the 20th century to the point that its devastation in 2014 was treated like a bereavement in the city and beyond.

Mackintosh began working on the school in 1895.

He was born in Parson Street, Glasgow - only about a mile from the current building - 27 years before and he is said to have had a passion for architecture even when he was a young boy.

Mackintosh became an apprentice at an architecture practice in the city when he was 16, and later built a name for himself while working for the Honeyman and Keppie practice on a range of prominent Glasgow buildings, including the offices of The Herald.

When the practice competed to design a new building for the Glasgow School of Art, it was Mackintosh’s stark design that won.

Work began in 1897 and the build took 12 years, finally opening in 1909.

The school’s distinctive look relies on its use of sandstone and Mackintosh’s interest in incorporating so-called baronial features in the style of Scottish castles

It is seen as a masterclass in blending the emergent modernist architecture of the turn-of-the-century with a range of softer styles from around the world.

Read more: Glasgow School of Art engulfed in flames for a second time

But perhaps the most lasting impact of the building has been how Mackintosh took a total, holistic approach, designing every small detail - from clocks to desks, again blending a range of styles.

Mackintosh had himself been student at the Glasgow School of Art before he designed its new building.

It was there that he met his future wife, the artist Margaret Macdonald. With Macdonald’s sister, Frances MacDonald, and Herbert MacNair, they exhibited a range of different designs and became known as “The Four” - a group seen as an influence on the Art Nouveau movement across Europe.

Macintosh and his wife worked closely together on his architectural projects, and Macdonald is credited with being the prime force behind much of the detail within his total approach to building design.

Mackintosh spent most of his life in Glasgow but, after completing the school of art, he moved away - ending up in the Suffolk village of Walberswick.

It was here he was wrongly arrested as spy in 1915 after a misunderstanding in the village over letters he was carrying in German.

He moved away from architecture in his later years, choosing to paint watercolours instead, and he died in 1928, aged 60.

Mackintosh’s style was far from universally popular at the time of his death, but he was gradually rediscovered towards the end of the 20th century - his influence being a central theme of Glasgow’s tenure as the European City of Culture, in 1990.

Many of his greatest designs were never built, including his entry to build Liverpool Cathedral in a competition won by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

Since Mackintosh was student at the Glasgow School of Art in the late 19th century, it has produced a bewildering array of talent.

It says it has produced five Turner Prize winners and 30% of nominees since 2006. It is also the alma mater of stars including actors Peter Capaldi and Robbie Coltrane, singers Fran Healy and Sharleen Spiteri and broadcaster Muriel Gray.

Read more: Glasgow School of Art fire update: Nicola Sturgeon visits the scene</s>Damage to the Glasgow School of Art after a fire is "exceptionally significant", a senior firefighter has said.

Scotland Fire and Rescue Service's Peter Heath tells the BBC's Jon Kay the Mackintosh Building had been "extensively damaged" by the blaze, only four years after a similar fire ravaged the iconic site.</s>A devastating fire at the Glasgow School of Art has left the building so badly damaged that it may have to be demolished, it was feared last night.

A second blaze in four years gutted the world-renowned Grade A-listed building. More than 120 firefighters tackled the flames, which were visible ten miles away from the iconic Mackintosh building – named after its celebrated architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, pledged financial support to the prestigious art school, which opened in 1907, while comedian Sir Billy Connolly, on visiting the site, described the incident as 'horrific'.

Iain Bushell, a deputy chief officer with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, outlined the severe damage yesterday. He said: 'The roof is gone completely. We cannot get in yet to assess the damage. I can only see from the street but it looks as if the building has been extensively damaged.'

He added that the fire was a 'devastating loss for Glasgow'.

The tragedy comes after the school's famous sculpted wooden library was ravaged by another fire in 2014, caused by a mishap involving a student project.

The school had been due to reopen in September after a painstaking £35 million restoration project involving contributions from around the world, including from actors Brad Pitt and Peter Capaldi.

The alarm was raised at 11.20pm on Friday and police evacuated 27 people from nearby properties as a precaution, but there were no casualties. The blaze also damaged a neighbouring concert venue and nightclub.

The blaze which tore through the Glasgow School of Art's (GSA) historic Mackintosh Building in 2014 began when a projector ignited gases from expanding foam used in a student project, a fire investigation confirmed. The flammable gases from a foam canister caught fire when they came into contact with the electrical equipment as work was being carried out on a nearby art installation. The projector was not faulty, but the presence of original ventilation ducts and a large number of timber-lined walls in the building contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, the report concluded when it was published in November 2014. A new fire suppression system was in the latter stages of completion at the institution, but was not yet fully commissioned and working on the day of the blaze. Speaking at the time, the GSA director Professor Tom Inns said: 'The fire was an accident and, like any accident, it's caused by many different factors coming together and conspiring against us on the day. 'The report is very detailed about how the fire spread round the building and that gives us a lot of new knowledge that we need to take on board.'

Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art is seen as his masterpiece The Glasgow School of Art is now regarded as Charles Rennie Mackintosh's architectural masterpiece and one of the finest buildings in the UK, but it was far from universally loved when it was first built. One critic questioned why a 'house of correction, or poor house' had been put up on such prominent site in the centre of Glasgow. But, like Mackintosh himself, the status of the building grew through the 20th century to the point that its devastation in 2014 was treated like a bereavement in the city and beyond. Mackintosh began working on the school in 1895. He was born in Parson Street, Glasgow - only about a mile from the current building - 27 years before and he is said to have had a passion for architecture even when he was a young boy. Mackintosh became an apprentice at an architecture practice in the city when he was 16, and later built a name for himself while working for the Honeyman and Keppie practice on a range of prominent Glasgow buildings, including the offices of The Herald. When the practice competed to design a new building for the Glasgow School of Art, it was Mackintosh's stark design that won. Work began in 1897 and the build took 12 years, finally opening in 1909. The school's distinctive look relies on its use of sandstone and Mackintosh's interest in incorporating so-called baronial features in the style of Scottish castles It is seen as a masterclass in blending the emergent modernist architecture of the turn-of-the-century with a range of softer styles from around the world. But perhaps the most lasting impact of the building has been how Mackintosh took a total, holistic approach, designing every small detail - from clocks to desks, again blending a range of styles. Mackintosh had himself been student at the Glasgow School of Art before he designed its new building. It was there that he met his future wife, the artist Margaret Macdonald. With Macdonald's sister, Frances MacDonald, and Herbert MacNair, they exhibited a range of different designs and became known as 'The Four' - a group seen as an influence on the Art Nouveau movement across Europe. Macintosh and his wife worked closely together on his architectural projects, and Macdonald is credited with being the prime force behind much of the detail within his total approach to building design. Mackintosh spent most of his life in Glasgow but, after completing the school of art, he moved away - ending up in the Suffolk village of Walberswick. It was here he was wrongly arrested as spy in 1915 after a misunderstanding in the village over letters he was carrying in German. He moved away from architecture in his later years, choosing to paint watercolours instead, and he died in 1928, aged 60. Mackintosh's style was far from universally popular at the time of his death, but he was gradually rediscovered towards the end of the 20th century - his influence being a central theme of Glasgow's tenure as the European City of Culture, in 1990. Many of his greatest designs were never built, including his entry to build Liverpool Cathedral in a competition won by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Since Mackintosh was student at the Glasgow School of Art in the late 19th century, it has produced a bewildering array of talent. It says it has produced five Turner Prize winners and 30% of nominees since 2006. It is also the alma mater of stars including actors Peter Capaldi and Robbie Coltrane, singers Fran Healy and Sharleen Spiteri and broadcaster Muriel Gray.
The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland suffers "extensive damage" after it catches on fire. No casualties are reported.