Plans to reconstruct the Glasgow School of Art, a renowned Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed building severely damaged by fire, face significant financial challenges, its owners announced Wednesday. The estimated cost to rebuild the historic Art Nouveau structure in line with Mackintosh’s original design stands at £265 million (approximately $355 million), an amount deemed unaffordable by the school’s leadership without external support.

The Glasgow School of Art has housed scaffolding since the devastating 2018 blaze, which followed an earlier fire in 2014. While the institution intends to remove this external support and install an internal stabilizing system, this interim measure will not restore the building to operational status. Further funding from outside sources will be essential for a full reconstruction.

Màiri McAllan, Scotland’s education and culture minister, expressed preference for a faithful rebuild and noted that while the school has not requested public funds, the government is committed to collaborating with the institution and other stakeholders to secure the future of the landmark. Meanwhile, the school’s board chair, Ann Priest, emphasized that any eventual restoration would not be an exact historical replica. She highlighted the need to adapt the design to meet modern fire safety regulations and accessibility standards, aiming to preserve Mackintosh’s visionary spirit while ensuring the building’s usability.

Architectural experts and former staff have underscored the building’s global importance. Neil Baxter, a former lecturer in architectural history at the school, described the Glasgow School of Art as internationally significant and called on both the Scottish and British governments to provide financial backing. Gordon Gibb, a previous director of the school’s architecture department, stressed the necessity for another organization to assume responsibility for the project, given the building’s influence on the evolution of modern architecture.

The reconstruction plan has encountered additional complications due to the school’s confidential arbitration with its insurance company, which concluded earlier this year. The arbitration process followed investigations that failed to determine the cause of the 2018 fire. In a recent report, the school cited construction inflation, economic pressures, and shifts in higher education funding as factors hindering the feasibility of a full rebuild without substantial government intervention. The school suggested that the project could potentially serve as a central element of a broader regeneration initiative in Glasgow to attract funding from the British government.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s original building, completed in 1909, served not only as an educational institution but also as a cultural destination, drawing thousands of visitors annually. Its library, with distinctive modernist lighting and intricate carvings, remains a defining feature of Mackintosh’s architectural legacy.

Despite the setbacks, the school’s director Penny Macbeth has reiterated the institution’s commitment to a high-quality restoration, emphasizing the importance of a faithful, non-pastiche approach to the rebuild. She has expressed determination to see the project realized to the standard befitting Mackintosh’s masterpiece.

The fate of the Glasgow School of Art reconstruction remains uncertain as the institution seeks collaboration and funding from both government and private sectors to preserve one of Scotland’s most iconic architectural treasures.