Basic Biographical Details

Name: Donald MacKillop
Designation:  
Born: 12 October 1933
Died: 10 January 2012
Bio Notes: Donald MacKillop was born on 12 October 1933 in Hearach in the northerly part of South Harris. In the early 1950s he began as an architectural apprentice and by the 1950s he had enrolled as a part-time student at Glasgow School of Art. He completed the course in the 1960s, working simultaneously with Baron Bercott in Glasgow. He was elected ARIBA in 1971.

That same year, 1971, he started up a Dingwall branch office of the Aberdeen practice Thomson Taylor Craig & Donald becoming a partner in 1972. Subsequently he set up a further branch office in Stornoway. He dioes not appear in later RIBA directories and pehaps restricted himslef to membership of the RIAS. He later formed his own practice under the title Donald MacKillop Associates (or DMA) and took over these two offices. He continued to work until the summer of 2011 although he had scaled down the time he spent in about 2008.

In his architecture he reacted in many ways against his tradtional Hebridean roots by designing large open spaces with large windows. His use of bold assymetric cross-sections also seemed to be a 'reaction to the traditional norms of the Highland landscape'. His own house on a hillside above Strathpeffer had generous rooms and large windows.

As a person he had a 'warm, ebullient and optimistic nature'. He enjoyed mentoring staff and sorting out site disputes. He was a keen piper.

MacKillop died on 10 January 2012, survived by his wife, Ena, whom he had met in Glasgow in 1954 and the couple had married in 1959. They had three sons and a daughter and eight grandchildren.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 212, Cresswell Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1960(?)After 1965(?) 
Item 2 of 24, Hill Street, Dingwall, Ross & Cromarty, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1979After 1984 

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 2Thomson Taylor Craig and Donald1972After 1979Partner 
Item 2 of 2Donald Mackillop AssociatesBefore 1990 Partner 

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 291970sAthenaeum Reading Room  AberdeenScotlandReconstruction as hotel
Item 2 of 291970sBank   AberdeenScotland 
Item 3 of 291970sBank  GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 291970sBankDingwall Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 5 of 291970sBankAlness Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 6 of 291970sHangars and offices  AberdeenScotland 
Item 7 of 291970sHangars and offices MainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 8 of 291970sNurses homeStornowayLewisWestern Isles  
Item 9 of 291970sOffice block for Aberdeen Construction Group  AberdeenScotland 
Item 10 of 291970sOffice block for British Brown Boveri  AberdeenScotland 
Item 11 of 291970sOffice block for Occidental of Britain  AberdeenScotland 
Item 12 of 291970sOffice block for Seaforth Maritime  AberdeenScotland 
Item 13 of 291970sPrimary schoolSummerston GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 291970sSchoolTain Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 15 of 291970sSchoolInvergordon Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 16 of 291970sStornoway Cottage HospitalStornowayLewisWestern IslesScotlandExtension
Item 17 of 291970sTerminal complex for Aberdeen Harbour Board  AberdeenScotland 
Item 18 of 29Before 1975Cattle Market, offices and showroom for Reith & AndersonDingwall Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 19 of 29Before 1975Children's home for Ross & Cromarty County CouncilAlness Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 20 of 29Before 1975Day CentreDingwall Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 21 of 29Before 1975Local Authority housingAlness Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 22 of 29Before 1975Local Authority HousingInvergordon Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 23 of 29Before 1975Local Authority housingTain Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 24 of 29Before 1975Local Authority housing LewisRoss & CromartyScotland 
Item 25 of 29Before 1975Primary schoolAlness Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 26 of 29Before 1975South Lodge Primary SchoolInvergordon Ross and CromartyScotland 
Item 27 of 29Before 1975Swimming and sports complexDingwall Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 28 of 29Before 1975Tomnavoulin Distillery and offices of Invergordon DistillersInvergordon Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 29 of 29After 1976Old Folks Home BarraWestern Isles  

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6RIBA1965The RIBA Kalendar   
Item 2 of 6RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 3 of 6RIBA1980Directory of Practices 1980   
Item 4 of 6RIBA1984RIBA Directory of members   
Item 5 of 6RIBA1990RIBA Directory of Members   
Item 6 of 6Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p12 Offices for Seaforth Maritime Ltd

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS Quarterly2012 Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Spring 2012