Mackintosh Architecture : Hill House

Hill House in Helensburgh, Scotland is one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's most famous works, probably second only to Glasgow School of Art. The facades at Hill House are typically strong with the limited apertures articulated with characteristic grids, and subtle non-orthogonal elements such as the chimney. Mackintosh's style is often seen as not only related to fin-de-siecle Art Nouveau but to the burgeoning Modern Architecture movement. It was designed and built for the publisher Walter Blackie in 1902 – 1904. In addition to the house itself, Mackintosh also designed most of the interior rooms, furniture and other fixings. Mackintosh's attention to detail even extended to prescribing the colour of cut flowers that the Blackies might place on a table in the living room, so as not to clash with the rest of the decor. The building itself is constructed from local sandstone and is its architecture is a reflection of Scottish baronial traditions. This narrow and elongated property spans from west to east and features an entrance off the road to the west. It was designed in such a way so that all major rooms are south facing with excellent panoramic vistas of the Clyde Estuary. At the eastern section, a wing extends north and was home to rooms for the kitchen, utilities and the children. For the interior, Mackintosh played a large part in designing the fixtures and fittings, including fireplaces and furnishings. His attentions extended from the design of built-in wardrobes for the white bedroom to his intricate craftsmanship of a superb set of pewter fire tongs and poker. Interior walls in the Hill House are generally white, although some feature delicate stencil designs in shades of pale greens, pinks, and silver.