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Summary

Description

A B Gardiner, City Architect, designed by Leo Durnin 1938, completed 1947-8; sculpture by T B Huxley-Jones. 4-storey, semi-oval-plan block of local authority flats. Tooled coursed grey granite with prefabricated dressings, concrete balconies to courtyard elevations. Eaves blocking course to entrance blocks; 2-pane skylights to attic floor.

SE (LEADSIDE ROAD) ELEVATION: symmetrical; curved; 11-bay; round-arched pend with radial voussoirs leading to courtyard (see below), bas-relief sculpture of a woman on horseback (Wind) above, windows to 2nd and 3rd floors above; regular fenestration to each floor of 2 flanking bays to left and right; stair bays with vertical strip of 14-pane glazing stepped-out to left and right; regular fenestration to 2 bays to outer left and right.

NE (SOUTH MOUNT STREET) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 21-bay. 11-bay entrance block stepped-up to right; round-arched pend with radial voussoirs leading to courtyard (see below), bas-relief sculpture of a woman pouring water (Rain) above, windows to 2nd and 3rd floors above; regular fenestration to 2 flanking bays to left and right; 3 flanking bays to left and right stepped forward, 14-pane vertical stair windows to each, with regular fenestration to 2 outer bays. 10-bay block adjoining to left, curved to outer left; 4 central bays with pairs of windows to each bay at ground floor, regular fenestration to remainder; small window below vertical strip stair window in flanking bays to left and right, pairs of windows to ground floor of 2 bays flanking to outer left and right, regular fenestration to remainder.

NW (KINTORE PLACE) ELEVATION: symmetrical; 15-bay block with deeply chamfered angles advanced. 7-back block advanced to centre, small window below vertical strip stair window in centre bay, regular fenestration to 3 flanking bays to left and right; regular fenestration to 3 stepped back bays to left and right; chamfered angles to outer left and right, with vertical strip stair window to centre, and regular fenestration to left and right; 3-bay right and left returns with regular fenestration.

SW (RICHMOND STREET) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 21-bay. 11-bay entrance block stepped-up to left; round-arched pend with radial voussoirs leading to courtyard (see below), to centre, windows to 2nd and 3rd floors above, regular fenestration to 2 flanking bays to left and right; 3 bays to outer left and right advanced, vertical strip of 14-pane glazing flanked to 2 outer bays by regular fenestration. 10-bay block adjoining to right, curved to outer right; 4 central bays with pairs of windows to each bay at ground floor, regular fenestration to remainder; small window below vertical strip stair window in flanking bays to left and right, pairs of windows to ground floor of 2 bays, regular fenestration to remainder.

COURTYARD ELEVATIONS: regularly placed doorways flanked by regular fenestration, vertical strips of single and paired concrete balconies surmounted by louvred screens.

Predominantly lying-pane metal-framed casement windows. Piended purple grey slate roof with lead ridges. Coped brick grey brick ridge stacks and stacks breaking pitch, with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIORS: not seen 1999.

Statement of Special Interest

Won Saltire Award in 1948. The striking Rosemount Square was the last granite tenement block to be built in Aberdeen (Smith, p9). The flats are entered from within the half-oval courtyard, allowing refined exterior elevations of unbroken banks of windows, the vertical strips of stair windows contrasting with the horizontal windows of the flats themselves. The fine bas-relief sculptures by Huxley-Jones form the only non-functional ornamentation, they represent wind and rain, familiar elements in Aberdeen. The formula of round entrance arches surmounted by sculpture recalls Karl Ehn's Karl Marx Hof in Vienna of 1927 (Brogden p136).

References

Bibliography

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