Tributes paid to celebrated architect ‘Jimmy’ Mackinnon

Remembered as a “unique character” with humour, creativity and a strong sense of community, Jimmy left an enduring mark on the East Neuk village of Pittenweem, where he lived for many years and was once affectionately voted “best adult in the street” by local children.

Jimmy combined his professional life in architecture with a deep commitment to local life. He served on Pittenweem Community Council, helping to introduce blue plaques commemorating notable residents, and designed alterations to St Fillan’s Cave to make it more accessible. He also involved pupils from Pittenweem Primary School in creating a striking mural of stones and shells gathered from the beach.

A man of many interests, Jimmy blended his passion for design with his love of stamps, producing a number of “first-day covers,” including one for the 1973 Dundee Armorial Bearings.

His daughter, architect Rowan Mackinnon-Pryde, described him as “a unique character, and well known by many people in Dundee and Fife. He was so well respected in Pittenweem that the local shop closed for part of the morning of his funeral. People lined the High Street as the procession walked from our house to the church.”

Born in Dunoon on 23 December 1931, Jimmy was the eldest of three siblings. At 12, he contracted spinal tuberculosis and spent more than two years recovering in an open-air sanatorium on Millport. It was there that his love of stamps, geography and drawing first took root.

After studying and training with the renowned practice Gillespie Kidd & Coia, Jimmy established his own firm in Dundee. Yet most of his career was devoted to teaching. He lectured in Aberdeen and Leicester before becoming a senior lecturer at Dundee School of Architecture, where he worked until his retirement.

As a teacher, he was known for his direct, challenging style, always encouraging students to think critically and embrace the value of drawing by hand, even as digital tools became widespread.

Beyond architecture, Jimmy was devoted to his community and his family. A proud Scot, socialist, and Dundee United supporter, he lived by the motto “work hard, play hard”—though friends often suspected the latter was his priority. Trips to the local shop could last an hour as he shared jokes, stories and conversations with neighbours.

In retirement, he turned to watercolour painting, capturing the light and movement of the sea and sky. His work is displayed in both the European Parliament in Brussels and St Andrews Community Hospital.

Jimmy is survived by his children Kenneth, Rowan and Flora. He was predeceased by his son David. He died on 8 August, aged 93, remembered for his humour, determination and generosity of spirit.