THE lead singer of the Scottish rock band Travis has joined calls for the Mackintosh Building in Glasgow to be rebuilt.

Fran Healy, who studied fine art at the Glasgow School of Art before rising to fame as a singer and songwriter in Travis, said the elegance of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's plans would mean a re-build would not be impossible.

He spoke to The Herald as a new petition was launched to urge the rebuilding of the 'Mack', which is to be partially dismantled following a second disastrous fire.

He said: "It's been horrible to watch the Mac burn and now be pulled down but it's a building, one of the UK's best, it's insured, they have all the drawings and laser scans of every interior, and it's a very simple build.

"No intricate angels to re-carve or elaborate structural engineering to backward engineer.

"That was the beauty of the Mac. It was simple. Like a giant dove tail joint."

Mr Healy, however, suggested that the new building, if constructed, could be modernised.

He added: "I do think this time they should fit a functioning sprinkler system.

"I don't think Charles Rennie Mackintosh would feel this interfered with the integrity of the original."

Healy is one of many alumni of the GSA and admirers of the building who has expressed the desire for a new version of the world famous building to be created.

The lauded painter Alison Watt and Turner Prize winner Martin Boyce have also said it should be rebuilt, while a new petition, backing the idea to "Faithfully rebuild the Mackintosh Building" has garnered hundreds of names within hours.

Boyce told Frieze magazine: "We have an architect and a building and it’s one of the greatest.

"It is crystal clear to me that the building must be rebuilt. This moment, the fires and the voices around this issue are just a blip in history. What matters is that in 20 or 50 years from now people can push open those swing doors, walk in and study art in the Mack."

The petition says: "It is still too early to say what damage the structure has undergone, but we hope that, in time, plans can be put in place to save and restore as much as possible, and to rebuild the remainder.

"Irrespective of how much has been lost, the undersigned support the decision to reinstate this masterpiece like for like."

It adds: "We have faith in the knowledge of the restoration team which has been hard at work since 2014: faith in the skills of the artisans and craftspeople who have been restoring the building and faith in the people of Glasgow who wish to see the building emerge from the ashes."

Sir John Leighton, the director general of the National Galleries of Scotland said "we must do all we can to ensure that the school can thrive in the future."

He said: "The nation is still reeling from the news of the second fire in the great Mackintosh building but there is also a growing determination across the country to do everything possible to support the Glasgow School of Art in the aftermath of this terrible event. "Generations of graduates from GSA have had a massive impact both at home and abroad – many now rank as world-class artists and are represented in the national collection.

"I cannot emphasize enough how important GSA is to the cultural fabric of Scotland and we must do all we can to ensure that the school can thrive in the future."