Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Douglas H Bamber, 1954 with rooftop additions. 3-storey L-plan laboratory block in International Modern style of "The New Look" era. 5-stage tower at corner angle. Brick with visible reinforced concrete framework to principal elevations and concrete dressings; pre- rendered facing blocks at corners. Concrete architraves to smaller windows; concrete lintels and sills to larger ones. Flat roofs with concrete wallhead coping.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: entrance to single storey flat-roofed porch to far right; concrete steps up to 2-leaf glass doors in glazed surround; brick flanking walls project forward along steps to form outer porch; re-entrant angles to either side infilled with brick planters; left side forms base of tower and is studded with protruding headers of contrasting colour. 5-stage tower partly protrudes from re-entrant angle between 2 wings: central glazed stair window divided vertically by 6 concrete mullions; concrete architrave; 13 bays to wing to left; horizontally banded windows divided vertically by projecting concrete strips to central 8-bay section. Rendered bay to left; wide tripartite window with concrete window box to 1st floor. Recessed bay to far left contains 40-pane stair window; projecting planter below. Adjoins later harled structure to left.

E ELEVATION: 12-bay section with horizontally banded windows divided vertically by projecting concrete strips; 4-bay harled section to left: French windows with railed balconies (railings slope outwards towards top to give basket-like appearance) to 1st and 2nd floors of left bay; wide tripartite window with concrete window box to 1st floor to right. Projecting single storey brick section containing main entrance hall to left wraps around left bay of harled section; large window to right flanked by slightly projecting walls; left section infilled by planter. Tower (blind on this side) partly protrudes from re-entrant angle between 2 wings; partly set back into harled section to right. Recessed bay to far left contains 40-pane stair window; projecting planter below.

W ELEVATION (N WING): 400-pane glazed wall (providing light to former drawing offices) to 1st and 2nd floors; irregular pattern of fenestration and entrances below; entrance to stairwell set back to left. Recessed bay to right; projecting bay to re-entrant angle.

N ELEVATION (W WING): 4 bays divided by vertical projecting concrete strips to right. 6 bays set back to left.

Steel framed windows predominantly with side and top-hung casements (PVCu double glazing added to inside in some parts). Concrete wallhead coping to roof; N wing is surmounted by later single storey corrugated metal structure. Metal dome to top of tower is also an addition.

INTERIOR: major elements of plan (corridors with rooms opening off them) remain intact, although many partition walls have been removed. Cantilevered dog-leg staircases.

GATEWAYS: main gateway is to E along Crewe Road North: 2 double gates with pedestrian entrance to N (2nd pedestrian entrance has been added to S at later date). Original gatepiers: brick with brick cornices and concrete coping; short section of coped wall studded with protruding headers of contrasting colour (defaced along roadside) to N. Minor gateway to Crewe Toll; reinforced concrete perimeter fence posts support gates; concrete steps down to main entrance flanked by brick parapet walls with concrete coping; central handrail. Plain steel gates.

GATEHOUSE: sited immediately to NW of main gateway. Single storey, rectangular plan; brick with projecting concrete roof. S elevation is cut away slightly to right where the projecting roof is supported on cast iron post; window with door immediately to right, all surrounded by projecting concrete frame; harled panel beneath window. Central entrance to E elevation; single window to left. 4 bays to W elevation. All openings with projecting concrete architraves; all windows PVCu.

Statement of Special Interest

A good example of 1950's design in a prominent location. Of particular interest is the corner tower with its slender mullions and low brick porch.

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.