Glasgow School of Art defends its fire measures, use of Mackintosh Building, in robust series of statements to MSPs

The art school (GSA) flatly rejects calls for a rebuilt Mackintosh Building to be only used as a museum, saying that would be "a piece of sabotage against our built heritage."

The fire-damaged east wing of Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh building (Photograph by Colin Mearns)

The papers responds to the accusation, previously made in the committee by Sandra White, MSP, that the school's board is "not fit for purpose", saying this comment was based on "personal opinion and speculation."

It adds: "It appears to make a causal link between our corporate governance and the occurrence of the second fire despite the fact that the cause of that fire is not yet known" and notes in bold type: "We are a successful higher education institution and it does not follow that, because we are experiencing a crisis, we must have caused the crisis."

Muriel Gray, the chair of the GSA board, is due to be quizzed by MSPs of the committee this Thursday.

Committee Convener Joan McAlpine, said: "The role of this Committee is not to establish the cause of the fire, but to explore whether poor decision making or flawed processes contributed to the loss of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterpiece.

"We have already gathered evidence from former employees, independent experts and local community leaders who have been critical of the art school management.

"We had an evidence session with the school’s architects and main contractor, which raised further questions about fire prevention and containment.

"This Thursday we will put all these points to Glasgow School of Art management and board and will consider their response carefully.”

The Mackintosh Building of the GSA was partially destroyed by a fire in 2014, and gutted in a second disastrous fire in June this year.

READ MORE: Residents lambast GSA in evidence to committee

The cause and origin of the June fire is not yet known, and is being currently investigated by police and fire service experts.

The GSA evidence includes an unprecedented "statement of rebuttals", answering back to a number of statements made in the committee previously, as well as the press.

It has done this, it says, to "address the rumours, supposition and speculation in circulation since the 15 June."

One of these addresses the question of why temporary sprinkler systems were not installed during the reconstruction and refurbishment works, which were led by Kier Construction.

It says: "To the best of our knowledge, there is no temporary fire suppression system suitable for a building of the scale and complexity of the Mackintosh Building that could have been installed during the construction period."

The papers say, in regard to comments made at the committee about fire safety: "It was suggested at the hearing on 20 September 2018 that 'the failure was systemic and that there was a misjudged attitude to risk for such a hazardous and iconic building.'

"We strongly rebut that allegation. We have always taken fire precautions seriously across our whole estate. Our decision to commission a water mist fire suppression system to enhance the protection of the Mackintosh building, and the installation of sprinkler systems within the Reid and Stow buildings demonstrates our approach."

READ MORE: 'Relieve the GSA of its responsibility for the Mack' says expert

The papers also address the recently raised issue of offices being used on the construction site, and visits and other events taking place at the Mackintosh Building while it was still being renovated.

It notes that Kier installed an office in the eastern basement of the building, which including accommodation for the GSA Project Management Team, although it says the latter team relocated in January this year.

It adds: "At all times, Kier Construction Scotland Ltd retained possession of the whole of the site."

The papers note: "In our written submission, we have explained how the Contractor controls all access to his site during the contract period.

"All access was therefore subject to the Contractor’s procedures and processes. At all time, the Principal Contractor retained possession of the site.

The papers say that the Mackintosh Building had many visits from a professional, academic and other groups since the period after the first, 2014 fire.

After Kier were installed as contractors, these visits continued, all regulated, it says, by access protocols and health and safety rules.

READ MORE: Architects' 'deep and enduring regret' over fire

The paper says: "We had a commitment throughout the contract works to permit, where possible, public and professional access to the building where it could be accommodated without detriment to safety of momentum of works on going on the site.

"In line with this commitment, we hosted and spoke at numerous lectures, seminars and outreach events from audiences ranging from the half dozen or so SPAB (Society for Ancient Buildings) scholars to up to 500 - where venues such as Glasgow Royal Concert Hall were used.

"We also organised nearly 100 tours of the building for school groups, professional bodies, Scottish government officers and elected members and occasionally individuals."

It adds: "Events were also held in the building, but of much less frequency, due to the desire not to impede the contractors progress and the need always to ensure safety and supervision. "Notwithstanding that, about half a dozen events were held over the 4 years since the 2014 fire."

These included a recording of the GSA Choir within the library to record a fund raising disc for the restoration appeal, the filming of Ross Birrell’s ‘A Beautiful Living Thing’, a Mackintosh Memories Tea party to "gather archive and anecdotal information about the school" and what is described as a "Thank You" lunch in the partially completed [Mackintosh] Library for Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, alumni and members of the Board of Governors.

It also held five events with the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society including "virtual and physical tours, conferences and talks."

It says: "At all times visits were subject to the contractor’s safety procedures and structures.

"Full site induction was provided for all visitors and, for any events which involved movement into the building beyond the Technical Meeting Room, appropriate PPE [personal protective equipment] had to be worn and the visit accompanied by a chaperone."

The paper says this meeting room used in the building, in its east end, had a large TV screen with capacity for a screen or projector.

READ MORE: Potent questions still surround The Mack

Of the notion that the Mackintosh Building should be rebuilt, but no longer used as an art school, the GSA paper says: "The period during which it is not able to perform this function [as art school] has been extended by the fire of June 2018 but it will still be short interlude in the life of this building.

"To strip it of its primary function and consign it to the status of a visitor attraction, would be to strip life and purpose from the building.

"It would also deny future generations of the opportunity to benefit from study in the most important building of one of Scotland’s most innovative and creative architects, a building that was designed for them.

"Converting the Mackintosh Building to a museum would not be an expression of responsible custodianship, it would be a piece of sabotage against our built heritage and a failure of our duty to future generations."

The papers refer to issues that go back to the 2014 fire at the Mackintosh Building, which was caused by a projector igniting gas from foam used in a degree show.

The school defends its policy of protecting the identity of the staff and student involved in the incident.

It says that before the fire, a "water mist fire suppression system" was decided to be installed in the building.

However, in July 2013, the contractor discovered asbestos in a void space above the main entrance area.

The removal of asbestos from a void "immediately above the main entrance area posed an unacceptable health and safety risk when students, staff and visitors were still using the building."

It adds "We had no choice therefore other than to re-programme the asbestos removal until the end of June 2014 during the summer holidays to allow for its safe removal and minimise impact on the student experience.

"The mist suppression system installation would have been completed subsequently ready for the commencement of the Academic Year 2014-15."

However, the first fire took place before it could be installed.

On the closure of voids within the building, or compartmentation, the school says: "To have provided effective compartmentation would have meant deconstructing the interior of the Mackintosh Building to find where voids existed. Only by stripping it back to its masonry structure could we have been certain of stopping all these voids and providing compartmentation."