Mackintosh based the design of the school on Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire and Falkland Palace.[1] The building features a pair of windowed Scottish baronial style tower staircases and a tiled Drill Hall.[2] The school is an important example of the Modern Style (British Art Nouveau style). During the building's construction, Mackintosh frequently battled the school board about the design (the board wanted a less expensive design).