Meet Ian Elder of the Lighthouse

Glasgow Conversations

Meet Ian Elder of the Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Design and Architecture. As Ian quotes in this fascinating interview, design is a restlessness with the status quo, and listening to his description of what he does day in day out from this breathtaking building in the centre of Glasgow, you might come to appreciate just how vital it is to Scotland's perpetual innovation in the creative industries both locally and beyond.
He talks about how the Lighthouse works to promote not only the aesthetics of design work but also how it can impact and empower peoples' lives and business. Walking through its doors and spending some time here will introduce you to the pioneering work of one of our most famous sons, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Ian speaks eloquently about how that work has filtered through the ages to inspire design and architecture today. He tells us about some of the groundbreaking exhibitions and work sprouting forth in the Lighthouse, how local design talent is encouraged here, why he had to wave goodbye to the wonderful MAKlab, and what's coming up to look forward to including the second ever Lighthouse Late.
Climbing the mind-bending steps to the top of the Lighthouse's Mackintosh Tower may take your breath away, but from this conversation you'll understand that it's not the only thing in this place which can do that.