Alan Reiach / Stanley Cursiter plans for a Gallery of Modern Art

Reference:GB 2610 GMA A60
Dates of Creation:1940 - 1954
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
Model; plans; photographs; drawings; ts.; for a Gallery of Modern Art 1939 - 1954
Administrative / Biographical History
Alan Reiach was born in London in 1910, and educated at the Edinburgh Academy. After studying at the Edinburgh College of Art he was apprenticed to the architect Robert Lorimer from 1928 - 32. From 1928 - 35 he studied architecture at the Edinburgh College of Art, where scholarships awarded allowed him to travel to the USA, Europe and Russia. He was particularly influenced by Asplund and Alto, and Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier. His first book, 'Building Scotland' was published in 1940 with Robert Hurd. From 1944 - 47 he was on the Clyde Valley regional planning committee and from1947 - 54 taught architecture at the Edinburgh College of Art. A senior member of the firm Reiach and Hall, his buildings included the Appleton tower in Edinburgh, the New Club in Edinburgh and the church of St John's in Oxgangs. His architecture employed heavy modelling, geometric massing and an effective use of northern light. He retired in 1975, but remained a consultant until 1980. His plans for a Gallery of Modern Art to be built in Edinburgh, a model of which was made by Stanley Cursiter, remains in the SNGMA archives. Alan Reiach died on 23rd July 1992.
Access Information
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Archives and Special Collections are open Monday - Friday, 10.00 - 1.00 and 2.00 - 4.30 by appointment only. Please contact Modern2ReadingRoom@nationalgalleries.org to arrange a time to visit. As we are a small team, we request that you get in touch 1 – 2 weeks before you intend to visit so that we can check availability.
Conditions Governing Use
All material is subject to copyright restrictions. Requests to reproduce original material should be made to the National Galleries of Scotland’s Image Licensing team (https://www.nationalgalleries.org/copyright-image-licensing).
Custodial History
Purchased 1980