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Summary

Description

John Smith. Earlier 19th century. Impressive symmetrical U-plan warehouse and tenement group occupying end block. Warehouse section to centre (St Clement Street): 4-storey, 7-bay, grey granite ashlar with segmental headed openings; central bay recessed with semi-elliptical arch, margined windows and replacement 2-leaf boarded timber wide doorway to ground; stepped wallhead pediment above. Flanking tenement wings: 3-storey, 3-bay with rounded corner bays returning to 5-bay elevations and E and W. Arcaded shop fronts to ground; band course between ground and 1st floors, coped blocking course; block pedimented wallhead chimney stacks to E and W and S facing elevations.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows at upper levels of tenement wings; variety of panes to timber sash and case windows at warehouse (S) elevation. Predominantly altered fixed-pane glazing to ground floor shops. Grey slate; clay cans.

INTERIOR: Warehouse section converted to flats. Some shops at ground floor retain simple cornicing. Partly seen (2006).

Statement of Special Interest

The only survivor of this type of commercial/tenement building in the St Clement's area, it was designed to operate as an integrated warehouse and residential block and is a significant part of the streetscape. The building's large massing and Classical design follows John Smith's early 19th century town plan design for the St Clement's area, only part of which was carried out and most of which was subsequently demolished in the later 20th century. As such, this building is a rare survival. Smith was the one of the Aberdeen's key architects, responsible for much of the city's early 19th century Classical architecture. Aberdeen's harbour brought early prosperity to the city and it's development gathered momentum from the late 18th century when the physical restrictions caused by the shallow depth of the Dee estuary became problematic for increasingly heavy trade. In the 18th century, the Shiprow quayside was greatly increased forming the terrace which was to become Regent Quay. The 18th century buildings that line Regents Quay originally looked out over the sands and tributaries of the Dee Estuary , before the construction of Victoria Dock (1848). John Wood's map of 1810 shows the location for the intended wet dock, running the length of the as yet unnamed Trinity, Regent and Waterloo quays, all designed by renowned engineer Thomas Telford during the 1840's.

References

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