St. Mary’s High School

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large school in an international modern style, constructed of concrete frame, with pebble dashed walls and stained vertical timber boards. It has shallow overhanging roofs, and metal windows.

Main block, right block assembly blocks and rear blocks were constructed first. A number of years later (1970s) the rear right block and the front left block were added in a similar style. Main block: four storeys high and pebble dashed with inset timber panels below windows at each gable. Windows large rectangular metal framed along façade and rear, extreme right there are three smaller square windows to second and third floor above where building abuts right block. Four front doors, with glazed side lights and transom lights are in a timber-lined recess in the façade. Orange mosaic tiles decorate the concrete pillar in office to left of front doors. Similar green mosaic tiles can be seen at G/F further to the left of the main block.

Right block: abuts front right corner of main block: two storey with timber panels below windows on façade and right gable. Again on right end of façade walls are dashed and there are three square windows to each floor. Abutting the right gable is a single storey plant building with square dashed chimney.

Rear right block (later addition): joined to right block by a concrete and glass staircase block with stepped flat roof, which rises up the hill to the single storey dashed block. Left block: three storey dashed block, its rear abutting left corner of the façade of main block. Along rear of left block is a single storey circulation corridor with flat roof and glazed sides, incorporating a central outdoor shrub bed.

Assembly hall: two storey at right angles to rear on entry of main block. Other blocks of similar construction and detailing.

Setting: lawns to front with granite rubble retaining walls.

High palisade fence around perimeter.

Historical information

Designed by Corr and McCormick c1954. Extensions constructed in the 1970s. Similar schools were built in Strabane and Londonderry. The post-war period saw a revolution in the approach to school building that had prevailed before WW2, the ideas of scale, layout, treatment of schools were very new and the modernist style deemed suitable.

Secondary Sources:

1. M. J. Tracey (Mc Cormick, Tracey, Mullarky, Londonderry), 1997

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large school in an international modern style. It is of interest as demonstrating a new stlye for schools after WW2 but it does not meet the statutory and policy tests as a building of special architectural or historic interest.