Basic Biographical Details

Name: (Professor) George Alexander Macnab (misspelt McNab)
Designation:  
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 :
 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 (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 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

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1James Stuart Renton16 July 1969For Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This 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 681948University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Department of Agriculture  EdinburghScotland 
Item 2 of 681954St Peter's Episcopal ChurchStornowayLewisRoss and CromartyScotlandChancel added
Item 3 of 681956University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Field StationRoslin Edinburgh  
Item 4 of 681957Belhaven HospitalDunbar East LothianScotlandAdditions
Item 5 of 68After 1958Secondary SchoolAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 6 of 681959Easthouses ChurchDalkeith MidlothianScotlandBegun by Reiach and completed in partnership
Item 7 of 681959Housing scheme fo Messrs Crudens, NewhailesMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 8 of 681959Knox AcademyHaddington East LothianScotlandExtension to 1930s building
Item 9 of 681959Maitland Park Housing schemeMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 10 of 681950s or 1960sEdinburgh Academy, Western Classrooms  EdinburghScotlandLink between Western classrooms and old Mathematics block at NW of forecourt
Item 11 of 681960sForres AcademyForres MorayshireScotlandAlso swimming pool, uncertain date perhaps 1970s
Item 12 of 681960sGeorge Wolfe HouseTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 13 of 681960sHaddington 'face-lift' improvement schemeHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 14 of 681960sKnox Academy, Primary SchoolHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 15 of 681960sSecondary SchoolKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 16 of 681960sSenior Secondary SchoolKilwinning AyrshireScotland 
Item 17 of 6819621, 3 Winton Loan  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 681962Ash HouseGartocharn DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 19 of 681962Festival Centre, Castle Terrace site  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandFurther schemes for Festival Centre
Item 20 of 681962Golspie High SchoolGolspie SutherlandScotland 
Item 21 of 681962Kildrum Parish ChurchCumbernauld LanarkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 681963Rock CottagesTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 23 of 681963University of Edinburgh Appleton Tower (First Year Science Building)  EdinburghScotlandProject architect
Item 24 of 681964Fire StationHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 25 of 681964German Church  EdinburghScotlandExecutant architects
Item 26 of 681964Housing development  EdinburghScotlandRedevelopment of temporary housing
Item 27 of 681964Office blockMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 28 of 681964Portobello Old and Windsor Place Parish Church hallPortobello EdinburghScotland 
Item 29 of 681964Silverknowes Golf Club and Sports PavilionSilverknowes EdinburghScotland 
Item 30 of 681964St Mungo's Church and hallCumbernauld LanarkshireScotland 
Item 31 of 681965University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Experimental Petrology  EdinburghScotland 
Item 32 of 68After 1965Bow Yett housing developmentTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 33 of 68After 1965North Gate housing developmentTorphichen West LothianScotland 
Item 34 of 68After 1965University of Liverpool, Veterinary Field StationLeahurst LiverpoolEnglandAs project architect
Item 35 of 68After 1965Western General Hospital, Medical Research Council Building  EdinburghScotlandAs project architect
Item 36 of 681966Challenger LodgeTrinity EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 37 of 681966Craigleith House  EdinburghScotlandRedevelopment
Item 38 of 681966Dumbarton Civic Theatre and Community CentreDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandUncertain if involved or not.
Item 39 of 681966New Club  EdinburghScotlandRedevelopment
Item 40 of 681967Denny Civic TheatreDenny StirlingshireScotland 
Item 41 of 681967Greendykes Children's CentreCraigmillar EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 681968Heriot-Watt University, Maths, Physics and Chemistry departmentsRiccarton MidlothianScotland 
Item 43 of 681968Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton CampusRiccarton Midlothian  
Item 44 of 681969Office block, 2, 2A and 3 Queen Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 45 of 681969University of Edinburgh, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons  EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 46 of 68Late 1960sColeraine Technical CollegeColeraine LondonerryNorthern Ireland 
Item 47 of 681970Festival Centre, Castle Terrace site  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandThird scheme for Festival Centre
Item 48 of 681970Housing schemes for SSHA   ScotlandWork planned.
Item 49 of 681970Office block, 10 and 12 Young Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 50 of 681970Police Headquarters  EdinburghScotlandPerhaps not involved?
Item 51 of 681970University of Stirling, sports buildings with swimming poolStirling StirlingshireScotlandWork planned.
Item 52 of 681970Veterinary College  EdinburghScotlandWork planned.
Item 53 of 681970Western General Hospital, Human Genetics block  EdinburghScotlandPartner in charge
Item 54 of 681971Orchard Brae House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 55 of 681972Heriot-Watt University, Petroleum Engineering DepartmentRiccarton EdinburghScotlandPhase I
Item 56 of 681972Offices at North St David Street, west side  EdinburghScotland 
Item 57 of 681972SSHA housing, BranshillNew Sauchie ClackmannanshireScotlandPartner in charge
Item 58 of 681973Heriot-Watt University, Department of Civil EngineeringRiccarton MidlothianScotland 
Item 59 of 681973Heriot-Watt University, Mechanical Engineering DepartmentRiccarton MidlothianScotland 
Item 60 of 681973Office development for Alex Lawrie  GlasgowScotland 
Item 61 of 681974Inverleith HouseInverleith EdinburghScotland 
Item 62 of 681974Offices for Friends Provident, Charlotte Lane  EdinburghScotland 
Item 63 of 68Before 1975Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, students' hostelsRiccarton MidliothianScotland 
Item 64 of 68Before 1975University of St Andrews, students' hostelSt Andrews FifeScotland 
Item 65 of 681977George Wolfe HouseTorphichen West LothianScotlandAddition
Item 66 of 681978Challenger LodgeTrinity EdinburghScotlandAddition of SW wing for St Columba's Hospice
Item 67 of 681979Syntex Research CentreRiccarton MidlothianScotlandPhase I
Item 68 of 681983St George's School, Arts Block  EdinburghScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

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

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 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