Parkinson Building Including Brotherton Library Chemistry and Engineering and Wall

Details

LEEDS

SE2934NE WOODHOUSE LANE, University Campus 714-1/72/446 (West side) 19/01/88 Parkinson Building incl Brotherton Library, Chemistry and Engineering, and wall

II

University buildings with attached wall. 1929-1936 and 1950. Designed 1929 by Lanchester and Lodge for the University of Leeds, the Chemistry and Engineering building opened 1932, the Brotherton Library 1936 and the Parkinson Building (patron F Parkinson) 1950. Portland stone to principal facades; brick with ashlar dressings to others; roof not visible. Parkinson Building facing east (onto Woodhouse Lane) of 3 main storeys with basement and recessed 2-storey attic and clock tower; behind it, the 3-storey, circular, domed Brotherton Library; attached to both, on the N, the 3-storey Chemistry and Engineering Building. Principal facades have ground-floor band; dentilled first-floor cornice with animal heads; plainer 2nd-floor cornice; band and parapet to attic. Windows throughout are metal-framed with transoms and margin glazing bars. Parkinson Building, E front: symmetrical 9:5:9 bays. Rusticated basement. Centre block breaks forward with 4 giant, fluted Ionic columns in antis, reached by a full-width flight of steps; within, 3 glazed doors with panelled reveals; windows either side and above; above the 2nd floor forms parapet surmounted by flagpole. Basement windows are segmental-arched in raised surrounds with tripartite keystones; on ground floor, alternate windows have apron panels and bracketed pediments; attic windows are smaller and have panels below and between, with blind sections at either end and 7-bay section breaks forward flanking clock tower. Clock tower is of 4 stepped stages; the tall lower stage has angle pilasters, window at base and clock face at top; 2nd and 3rd stages have 3-light mullioned windows and cornices; blind 4th stage surmounted by pyramidal cap. The 4-bay returns each have a giant distyle in antis; a recessed end bay with stair windows, lined on lower floors and in round arched keyed surround on 2nd floor; left return also has a basement porch with panelled door. Set back from the main elevation, of 3 storeys, and in same style are 4 bays on left and 15 bays on right (Chemistry and Engineering), the latter having central 9-bay break; steps up

to central, panelled, double door under traceried overlight in corniced architrave; above door, recess and cross window in pulvinated architrave with foliage-decorated sill. Fronting the building is attached low stone wall, stepping up hill, with flat coping and short circular piers. North front (Chemistry and Engineering): on left, 21 bays in same style; then plainer 6, and 8-bay range set back. Left part: symmetrical 5:1:9:1:5 bays, successively breaking forward to culminate in central 9-bay bow which has giant Ionic pilasters and traceried windows. The 2nd floor blind and forming parapet; flanking bays have giant angle pilasters and architraves to ground-floor windows. Plainer range to right has projecting entrance bay with rusticated basement, giant round-arched through-way with voussoirs aligned to courses and flanking pedestrian entrances, and tripartite attic window. Range to right breaks forward and continues in brick. INTERIOR: good contemporary fittings throughout, but principally in the Parkinson Building and Brotherton Library. The former has long, 2-storey entrance hall with Hopton Wood limestone panels and gallery and imperial stair at either end, giant, polished stone fluted columns; Classical entablature with modillion cornice; coffered ceiling, the panels with decorative borders and elaborate finned lights. Brotherton Library: 20 columns of Swedish green marble, each composed of 3 drums weighing 3 tons each, with composite bronze capitals and bases and modillion cornice supporting gallery which has coffered underside, decorative iron balustrade and radial bookcases; dome is coffered with small glazed lights around centre; elaborate finned lights. (Linstrum D: West Yorkshire: Architects and Architecture: London: 1978-).



Listing NGR: SE2955434715

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

465813

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Linstrum, D, West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, (1978)

End of official list entry

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