Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Parker and Unwin, 1906-7; A H Motram, altered 1956. Late flourishing Arts and Crafts white-harled suburban villa, built on slope. Roughly L-plan with asymmetrical elevations: 3-storey principal elevation to S (garden) and 2-storey and attic entrance elevation to N (street), including jamb at E. Bracketted overhanging eaves; flat-roofed dormers, both timber and harled.

N ELEVATION: narrow rectangular windows disposed in pairs and threes in expanses of blind white wall; boarded 2-leaf main door to No 15 with cast-iron Art Nouveau handle and hinges, set in recessed, segmental-arched opening; pairs of small square windows below eaves; forestair with block coping at E dates from 1957.

S ELEVATION: canted bay (a curved bow on interior) rising through 3-storeys comprising grid of mullioned and transomed windows above lighting hall; various horizontal groupings of windows elsewhere, 6 breaking eaves at left (W); verandah (to left of canted bay) recessed in three-centred arch, with screen wall in front pierced by pair segmental-arched openings; door and glazing behind screen wall altered 1957; door on far right (at E angle) and ground floor window to right of canted bay also introduced at that date.

Detached garage block with piended roof at E, accessed through pair of planked gates with long strap hinges.

Small paned casement windows with top hoppers. Grey slate piended roofs, swept at eaves; ridge stacks lugged at angles beneath thin moulded copes; cylindrical terracotta cans; cast-iron rainwater goods.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATES: tall white-harled boundary wall incorporating pairs of gate piers; wall recessed and lowered to No 15; geometric entrance arch to No 13 at left; distinctive wrought-ironwork gates.

Statement of Special Interest

Built for WA Smith, 1906-7, and subdivided (1956) by AH Mottram (a former assistant in the Parker and Unwin Office) into 3 separate houses. Balnagowan is a rare example of Parker and Unwin's work in Scotland. Although better known for their work in the development of the Garden City philosophy, Unwin and Parker also received commissions for small country houses. The pair always referred to houses as 'homes' and the union between house and owner was at the core of Unwin and Parker's design philosophy. In their book The Art of Building a Home (1901) they described their work as "creating a true setting for true lives, stamped with the personalities, individualities, characters and influence of those lives". Thus it is likely that Balnagowan is as much a product of Smith's needs and desires as of Unwin and Parker's artistry. In keeping with the prevailing Arts and Crafts tradition, the architects favoured simple, clean lines and abandoned any overt decoration in their design for Balnagowan. Similarly, the use of white harling was faithful to the Arts and Crafts philosophy, which preached loyalty to the locality.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.