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
