Basic Biographical Details

Name: (Professor) George Alexander Macnab (misspelt McNab)
Designation: Architect
Born: c. 1929
Died: 17 January 2003
Bio Notes: George Alexander Macnab (occasionally misspelt McNab) was born about 1929. He served in the Army from 1945 to 1948. Thereafter he studied for the diploma in architecture at the School of Architecture, Robert Gordon's College. He was the RIBA Recognised Schools Silver Medallist in 1952 and was admitted ARIBA in 1953. He was also AMTPI. In 1953 he took a post as assistant with the City Architect's Department in Aberdeen but the following year moved to the practice of Alan Reiach. At this date Reiach worked in partnership with Ralph Cowan as Reiach & Cowan. The practice title changed at various periods, becoming Alan Reiach, then from 1959 to 1965 Alan Reiach & Partners and from 1965 Alan Reiach Eric Hall & Partners. He joined Alan Reiach in partnership in 1958. He played a significant role in the direction in which the practice went during its first decade after the merger with Eric Hall. At his election to Fellowship of the RIBA in 1969 Reiach remarked that 'his ability to work with others in different disciplines...is an invaluable asset in our practice'. He was proposed by Alan Reiach, Eric Hall and Stuart Renton. During this period Reiach & Hall acquired a RUCAPS computer which though extremely complex to use was m,astered by Macnab. This was probably the first commercial CAD machine in Scotland.

He served as President of the EAA from 1974-1976, and served on the Council of the RIBA with a special interest in education. He was a member of a number of RIBA visiting Boards including one to Canada.

He left Reiach & Hall 1982 to undertake a commission to promote Computer Aided Design in South Africa. He became Professor of Architecture in the University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa with special duties in CAD, design and presentation. In 1987 he moved to a small private architectural practice in Botswana where he used his CAD skills in practice. He returned to Scotland in 1989.

His was overcome by illness shortly after his return to Scotland. He moved to Kirkmichael in 1994 where he had once had a holiday cottage. He died on 17 January 2003.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 425, Angusfield Avenue, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate1953 *  
Item 2 of 444, Blacket Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1963After 1970 
Item 3 of 46, Darnaway Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1979 *  
Item 4 of 4Dept of Architecture, University of the Orange Fre, PO Box 339, , 9300 Bloemfontein, South AfricaBusiness1987 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 7Reiach Hall Blyth (Iran)  Partner 
Item 2 of 7Reiach & Cowan1954 Assistant 
Item 3 of 7Alan ReiachAfter 1954 Assistant 
Item 4 of 7Alan Reiach & Partners1955 Partner 
Item 5 of 7Alan Reiach & Partners19571965Partner 
Item 6 of 7Alan Reiach Eric Hall & Partners1965 Partner 
Item 7 of 7Alan Reiach Eric Hall & Partners19651982Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Eric Walker Hall16 July 1969For Fellowship
Item 2 of 3Alan Reiach16 July 1969For Fellowship
Item 3 of 3James Stuart Renton16 July 1969For Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 671948University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Department of Agriculture  EdinburghScotland 
Item 2 of 671954St Peter's Episcopal ChurchStornowayLewisRoss and CromartyScotlandChancel added
Item 3 of 671956University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Field StationRoslin Edinburgh  
Item 4 of 671957Belhaven HospitalDunbar East LothianScotlandAdditions
Item 5 of 67After 1958Secondary SchoolAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 6 of 671959Easthouses ChurchDalkeith MidlothianScotlandBegun by Reiach and completed in partnership
Item 7 of 671959Housing scheme fo Messrs Crudens, NewhailesMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 8 of 671959Knox AcademyHaddington East LothianScotlandExtension to 1930s building
Item 9 of 671959Maitland Park Housing schemeMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 10 of 671950s or 1960sEdinburgh Academy, Western Classrooms  EdinburghScotlandLink between Western classrooms and old Mathematics block at NW of forecourt
Item 11 of 671960sForres AcademyForres MorayshireScotlandAlso swimming pool, uncertain date perhaps 1970s
Item 12 of 671960sGeorge Wolfe HouseTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 13 of 671960sHaddington 'face-lift' improvement schemeHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 14 of 671960sKnox Academy, Primary SchoolHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 15 of 671960sSecondary SchoolKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 16 of 671960sSenior Secondary SchoolKilwinning AyrshireScotland 
Item 17 of 6719621, 3 Winton Loan  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 671962Ash HouseGartocharn DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 19 of 671962Festival Centre, Castle Terrace site  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandFurther schemes for Festival Centre
Item 20 of 671962Golspie High SchoolGolspie SutherlandScotland 
Item 21 of 671962Kildrum Parish ChurchCumbernauld LanarkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 671963Rock CottagesTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 23 of 671963University of Edinburgh Appleton Tower (First Year Science Building)  EdinburghScotlandProject architect
Item 24 of 671964Fire StationHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 25 of 671964German Church  EdinburghScotlandExecutant architects
Item 26 of 671964Housing development  EdinburghScotlandRedevelopment of temporary housing
Item 27 of 671964Office blockMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 28 of 671964Portobello Old and Windsor Place Parish Church hallPortobello EdinburghScotland 
Item 29 of 671964Silverknowes Golf Club and Sports PavilionSilverknowes EdinburghScotland 
Item 30 of 671964St Mungo's Church and hallCumbernauld LanarkshireScotland 
Item 31 of 671965University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Experimental Petrology  EdinburghScotland 
Item 32 of 67After 1965Bow Yett housing developmentTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 33 of 67After 1965North Gate housing developmentTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 34 of 67After 1965University of Liverpool, Veterinary Field StationLeahurst LiverpoolEnglandAs project architect
Item 35 of 67After 1965Western General Hospital, Medical Research Council Building  EdinburghScotlandAs project architect
Item 36 of 671966Challenger LodgeTrinity EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 37 of 671966Craigleith House  EdinburghScotlandRedevelopment
Item 38 of 671966Dumbarton Civic Theatre and Community CentreDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandUncertain if involved or not.
Item 39 of 671966New Club  EdinburghScotlandRedevelopment
Item 40 of 671967Denny Civic TheatreDenny StirlingshireScotland 
Item 41 of 671967Greendykes Children's CentreCraigmillar EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 671968Heriot-Watt University, Maths, Physics and Chemistry departmentsRiccarton MidlothianScotland 
Item 43 of 671968Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton CampusRiccarton Midlothian  
Item 44 of 671969Office block, 2, 2A and 3 Queen Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 45 of 671969University of Edinburgh, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons  EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 46 of 67Late 1960sColeraine Technical CollegeColeraine LondonerryNorthern Ireland 
Item 47 of 671970sUniversity of St Andrews, students' hostelSt Andrews FifeScotland 
Item 48 of 671970Festival Centre, Castle Terrace site  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandThird scheme for Festival Centre
Item 49 of 671970Housing schemes for SSHA   ScotlandWork planned.
Item 50 of 671970Office block, 10 and 12 Young Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 51 of 671970Police Headquarters  EdinburghScotlandPerhaps not involved?
Item 52 of 671970University of Stirling, sports buildings with swimming poolStirling StirlingshireScotlandWork planned.
Item 53 of 671970Veterinary College  EdinburghScotlandWork planned.
Item 54 of 671970Western General Hospital, Human Genetics block  EdinburghScotlandPartner in charge
Item 55 of 671971Orchard Brae House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 56 of 671972Heriot-Watt University, Petroleum Engineering DepartmentRiccarton EdinburghScotlandPhase I
Item 57 of 671972Offices at North St David Street, west side  EdinburghScotland 
Item 58 of 671972SSHA housing, BranshillNew Sauchie ClackmannanshireScotlandPartner in charge
Item 59 of 671973Heriot-Watt University, Department of Civil EngineeringRiccarton MidlothianScotland 
Item 60 of 671973Heriot-Watt University, Mechanical Engineering DepartmentRiccarton MidlothianScotland 
Item 61 of 671973Office development for Alex Lawrie  GlasgowScotland 
Item 62 of 671974Inverleith HouseInverleith EdinburghScotland 
Item 63 of 671974Offices for Friends Provident, Charlotte Lane  EdinburghScotland 
Item 64 of 671977George Wolfe HouseTorphichen West LothianScotlandAddition
Item 65 of 671978Challenger LodgeTrinity EdinburghScotlandAddition of SW wing for St Columba's Hospice
Item 66 of 671979Syntex Research CentreRiccarton MidlothianScotlandPhase I
Item 67 of 671983St George's School, Arts Block  EdinburghScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 7Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdpp32, 34 Winton Loan
p162-3 New Club
p165-7 Appleton Tower, University of Edinburgh
Item 2 of 7RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1963-64   
Item 3 of 7RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1964-65   
Item 4 of 7RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 5 of 7RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 6 of 7RIBA1987RIBA Directory of Members 1987   
Item 7 of 7Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p32-3 Kildrum Parish Church
p84-7 The New Club

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS Chartered Architect2003v.15, no.2 Spring issue

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 2 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F no6839 (Combined Box 162)
Item 3 of 3School of Architecture, Garthdee, Aberdeen, RGIT: former pupils, 1937-1970Galletly, James