Basic Biographical Details Name: | Ruth Celia MacKay | Designation: | | Born: | 26 May 1944 | Died: | 10 April 2014 | Bio Notes: | Ruth Celia MacKay studied architecture at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She began her career when she joined the Scottish Special Housing Association in the summer of 1968. She was in charge of designing and building the second part of Erskine New Town which received a Saltire Award. Later she and her colleagues were put in charge of the whole of the North Barr development of 1000 houses. She was also responsible for designing the first wheelchair users' houses in Scotland, which served as a model for many subsequent buildings.
In 1973 Ruther MacKay took a career break to raise her family. However she continued to practice privately and designed a number of house conversions and extension and she worked freelance for Alison Hutchison and Partners. In 1981 she designed the parish centre for St Thomas' Church, Milnthorpe, Cumbria, the church in which she was married.
In 1982 she returned to full-time work in Midlothian Planning Department. In 1987 she became the Development Officer for the Margaret Blackwood Housing Association. While in this post she designed 23 schemes and 333 units of housing.
She retired in 2004. However she continued take an active role in areas which interested her. She was Secretary of the local Abbeyfield Association committee in Dalkeith. From 2010 she served on the board of the Ironmills Development Ltd, a subsidiary of Melville Housing Association.
She died on 10 April 2010, survived by her husband, here sons and granddaughters. |
Employment and TrainingEmployers
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | | Erskine New Town | Erskine | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Was responsible for designing and building the second part of the New Town | | 1970s | Housing, Bargarran | Erskine | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1970s | SSHA Housing, North Barr | Erskine | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | After 1987 | Dorward Gardens and White's Place Housing | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Was responsible for supervising the design and building of this scheme - as Development Officer with the Margaret Blackwood Housing Association. |
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | RIAS Quarterly | 2014 | 19 | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Autumn issue |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Courtesy of David Price | Information sent to Dictionary of Scottish Architects | | Sent May 2016 |
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