A Sleeping Giant: Exploring Hill House
By Brynn Gordon
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House, 1902-1903, Roughcast Stone, Slate. National Trust for Scotland
On a sloping hill on the bank of the Clyde, there lies a giant of a house. Architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterwork, Hill House, is shielded from the West Scottish drizzle by a blanket of chainmail and steel. The house is “giant” not only in size—built during a time when families were large and servant’s quarters were necessary—but also for the significance of its position in the history of Scottish architecture.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House, 1902-3. Margret Macdonald, Tapestries, Textiles. National Trust for Scotland
Located in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Hill House was commissioned by the affluent Blackie family after Walter Blackie saw Mackintosh’s building at the Glasgow School of Art. Mackintosh accepted the project on the condition that he could have an active role in its decoration, giving him the creative control to realise his vision of a modern house built for modern life.
While best described as following the “Glasgow Style," Hill House references the Scots Baronial architecture common in Helensburgh through its stair turret and narrow windows, contrasting the modernity of the simple shapes and lack of ornamentation that characterise its exterior. Mackintosh said of his design, “It is not an Italian Villa, an English Mansion House, a Swiss Chalet, or a Scotch Castle. It is a Dwelling House”. The design of the interior follows this practice of blending influences: the naturalism and warmth of the Art Nouveau style are paired with the refinement of Art Deco, and classic decorative elements of the Arts and Crafts movement are united with the structured simplicity of the popular Japonisme aesthetic. This creates a space that feels spartan but comforting, with the recurring motif of roses and chequered lilies bringing hints of pink and purple into the white and silver interior. Margret Macdonald’s bespoke tapestries soften the geometric design with recollections of the natural beauty surrounding the house, located near the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
A Section of Original Decoration Versus Restoration Work. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House, 1902-1903. Paper and Stained Glass. National Trust for Scotland
In December, the entryway and living room are decorated with wreaths, Christmas trees, and lights, the gloomy weather outside allowing the warm and restful atmosphere of the place to shine. It is a testament to Mackintosh’s skill that he could construct an inviting environment with traditionally “cool” elements and colours such as purple, black, white, and silver. Hill House has an ambience that feels calming, sumptuous, and liveable—a balance many architecturally experimental homes miss. Furthermore, when the house was full, Hill House itself would have felt almost alive, through its utilisation of organic curved edges and subtle variation across repeated designs. The home would have imbued life in its walls with a rhythm and dynamism best reflected in the entryway, where the gas lamp’s heat would have slowly turned sections of pivoting stained glass to mimic the fall of light in a forest, a feature lost to LED lighting.
Christmas Decorations at Hill House. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House, 1902-3. National Trust for Scotland.
What makes Hill House important rather than merely interesting is an understanding of how far ahead of his time Mackintosh was working. Hill house could have easily been populated by 1920s flappers or 1960s mods, the openness and simplicity of the space resonating with the design ethos of the early-to-mid 20th century. However, the house was designed over 120 years ago. The Blackies would have dressed in Victorian or Edwardian clothing, complete with fussy full skirts and bustles, leagues away from Mackintosh’s aesthetic universe. The juxtaposition of the art and furniture the Blackies brought from their Glasgow home further cements this stylistic vision into the future, pre-empting the needs and aesthetics of “modern” living by almost 20 years. It is an inspiration and a feat of unified design unmatched in its era
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A lady of the time shown in the Hill House Entryway. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House. National Trust for Scotland
The largest challenge currently facing the house is the weather. Conservators are concerned that exposure to the elements has caused the plaster to become waterlogged, threatening the structural integrity of the Hill House itself. The answer was the “Hill House Box," a metal roof and chain mail walls that protect the house from rain while allowing wind to pass through. Apart from providing filtered, dramatic light that amplifies the cosiness of the interior rooms, the structure allows visitors to get a better perspective on the house. Through a system of walkways, one is able to get sweeping views of the town and a better understanding of the house’s construction from above. Had Mackintosh anticipated this eventuality, he undoubtedly would have utilised the decorative potential of roofing tiles.
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Hill House Box. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House, 1902-1903, Roughcast Stone, Slate. National Trust for Scotland
Admission to Hill House is 1 Pound for Young Scot Card holders and can be accessed by a 40-minute train ride from Glasgow. If you would like more information, please refer to the National Trust for Scotland link below.
Bibliography
“About the Hill House,” National Trust for Scotland. Accessed Jan 23rd 2024. https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-hill-house
“Hill House Box,” National Trust for Scotland. Accessed Jan 23rd 2024. https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-hill-house/highlights/hill-house-box
Cooper, Jackie. “Mackintosh Architecture: The Complete Buildings and Selected Projects”. London, St. Martins Press. 1984.