David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Queen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three and four-storey with basement, red-brick higher education institute designed by London-based architects Lanchester & Lodge, erected between 1952-58. Designed in an eclectic mix of Neo-Georgian and Expressionist styles, the building is irregular in plan and consists of adjoining linear blocks arranged around two external courtyards. Located on a site at the N end of the Malone and Stranmillis roads, the building occupies a large section of streetscape between the roads. The linear building block to E directly faces Stranmillis Road and contains the main entrance foyer. To W is a smaller T-plan building block which aligns the Malone Road and is connected to the main building; It contains a secondary entrance foyer. To the N is a small fan-shaped building block accommodating lecture theatres. There is a narrow linear laboratory block which traverses the courtyard and links to the E and W buildings. To the N of this is a small service courtyard and to S a large landscaped courtyard.

Situated near the intersection of Stranmillis and Malone Roads just 0.4 km S of the Lanyon Building, Queen’s University Belfast, (HB26.27.005) and W of the Ulster Museum (HB26.27.075), the building is sited within an area of mixed, 19th-century, red-brick, residential and commercial buildings. It is set within a small cluster of other higher education buildings, including the Ashby Building, (HB26.17.071), on the adjacent site to S and the new School of Computer Sciences directly adjacent to W.

Materials:

Roof: Flat roofed in bituminous or single ply membrane.
RWG: Original metal hoppers and downpipes.
Walls: Red-brick with steel frame
Windows: Powder coated aluminium double glazed (replacement).Original single-glazed metal frame windows to main foyer/S block and E block at Hydraulics Lab and where rear wall abuts new extension.

Front elevation E

Large symmetrical elevation with grand main entrance in centre, flanked either side by a long façade with repeating bays of fenestration. Walls are generally red-brick in English garden wall bond. The main entrance bay has a large masonry portico in the centre at ground level, flanked each side by 4-storey semi-circular stair towers. The portico is ashlar masonry with central round-headed arched opening with over-sized keystone and fixed wall lamps to either side. There is a recessed porch area with semi-circular side walls. The porch walls are ashlar masonry, the ceiling is painted plaster with a plain cornice and the floor is stone flag. There is a pair of art deco style cast iron gates to the inside of the arched opening. There is an inscription on the side wall of the porch in raised lettering reading, 'David Keir Building, This building was opened by H.R.H The Prince Philip. Duke of Edinburgh. K.G., On May 21st 1959.' There is a large tri-partite vertical stair window above the portico; it has a masonry surround with stepped moulding to edges; windows are multi-paned incorporating lattice glazing bars. Above this is a masonry clock recessed in the brickwork with a masonry hood-mould over; it has copper dial numbers and hands. The stair towers have three strips of vertical glazing at each level and a carved stone 'coat of arms' at the top. At roof level on the entrance bay is a squat two-staged square tower. The upper tier is in ashlar masonry and has a copper pyramidal roof. It has 5 no. narrow windows in the centre and recessed string courses. There is an overhanging cornice detail at the eaves. The roofs of the stair towers are flat with a slim coping at eaves level (possibly masonry).

The façade to the left of the main entrance consists of 3 and 4-storeys of repeating bays of windows. This consists of a 4-storey block with 8 bays attached to a 3-storey breakfront with 7 bays. There is an arched-headed entrance door centrally located in the 3-storey block with stained timber glazed double doors and fanlight, over-sized masonry keystone and large hood-mould above (extending 3-bays). Windows generally at ground level are arched-headed with upper levels square-headed. Windows are generally multi-paned with margin-panes (replacement aluminium) and masonry cills. The brickwork surrounds to first and second floor level windows are slightly recessed in each bay and there are soldier course headers. The fourth floor windows on the first block are diminishing with a masonry course at cill and head level. Walls are generally red-brick in English garden wall bond. There is a continuous masonry string course at first floor level and plain slim masonry coping at roof levels with decorative brick panelling beneath. There is a modern copper clad extension to the 4-storey block at roof level. The façade to the right of the main entrance is generally a mirror image of the left-hand side. There are 3 no. centrally located entrance doors on the 3-storey block at this side and there is no modern extension to roof level. There are no visible downpipes or gutters.

Rear elevation (W)

Large 5-7storey(above ground) T-plan block connected to main courtyard building. The main façade faces the Malone Road. It is 5-storey with piano nobile effect entrance portico in the centre; accessed via a raised masonry entrance podium with steps either side. The ground level is ashlar masonry and upper levels are brick. The entrance portico projects forward and extends 3 -bays. It has 3 no. arched-headed openings with keystones with plat band above and plain parapet and coping. There are stained timber glazed door screens, similar to E elevation, in each of the openings. The 2 no. flights of entrance steps in the entrance podium rise to a gallery area in front of the entrance. It has ashlar masonry walling with intermediate bands of plainly detailed cast iron railings for guarding. There are narrow vertical recesses in the walling of the entrance plinth at street level (possibly windows now covered over). The main façade is 11-bays and has fenestration detailed as per the E elevation. The ground level has rectangular square headed window opening with multi-paned windows; modern metal grilles in openings. The side elevations of the front section of the T-plan building are 3-bay with similar fenestration to the main façade (right-hand side façade has projecting bay at ground/first floor level). The rear façade of the front section of the T-plan block is 3-bay on the left-hand side and 4-bay on the right- hand side with a plainly detailed 4-storey brick staircore on the right corner. The fenestration is similar to the other elevations. The perpendicular section of the T-plan building is generally 6-storey and 9 bays each side with fenestration similar in detail to the adjacent facades and a staircore at the intersection.

Where the T-plan building connects to the main buildings there is a 3-5 storey façade to the left and a 5-6 storey façade to the right. The left-hand side façade has a breakfront with 7 bays. It is 3-storey with a modern penthouse extension at roof level. To the right of the breakfront is a 4-5 storey section with 9 bays. Windows, roofs and walling are generally detailed as per E elevation. There are vertical runs of large exposed metal circular ducts attached to the façade. There is red-brick walling with concrete coping along this façade at ground level, enclosing a yard area; metal fencing erected on top of brick wall (later).The right-hand side façade is 7-storey and has 8 bays. It is similar in detail to the left-hand side with a stairwell in the last bay.

Side elevation (N)

2-storey (above ground), fan-shaped, protruding bay, centrally located with 3-storey façades each side. There is a quadrant -shaped external lightwell to basement at left-hand side of the bay. The protruding bay has a 2-storey breakfront flanked each side by single-storey wings. There is a large masonry plinth on the bay and 3 no. doorways at ground level; one in the centre of the breakfront and one in each side wing. Doorways are deeply recessed and have masonry surrounds with stepped moulding, 2 no. masonry steps and stained timber glazed double doors. There is a modern glass extension with metal balconette and overhanging flat roof, at first floor level on the breakfront of the bay. There is a single large square-headed window each side of the breakfront. The sides of the protruding bay are 3-bay with square-headed windows at each level. The 3-storey facades flanking it are generally 4-bay with fenestration similar to E elevation, (4th bay is recessed at both corners). There are exposed metal downpipes with decorative hoppers. Roofs, parapets and brickwork is generally detailed as per E elevation.

Side elevation (S)

This elevation is cranked in profile and has three projecting bays in red-brick; a 2-storey bay, a 4-storey bay and a stepped 1-2 storey bay. The main spine of the façade is generally 4-storey and has alternate bands of red-brick and render. The detailing to upper 2 no. floors is later, possibly 1958; windows are painted metal single-glazed with pivoting central window. Window openings in the lower levels are square headed and generally multi-paned similar to other elevations. Some openings extend over 2 floors and have obscured glazed panels at floor levels. There are exposed painted metal downpipes and hoppers. Roofs, parapets and brick is generally detailed as per other elevations.

Main courtyard elevations

E elevation of the courtyard is similar to the main E elevation. On the left-hand side there is a contemporary 2--storey extension clad in corten steel. The central entrance bay is detailed similarly to the main E elevation with square profile bays flanking the entrance. The entrance portico has a square headed recessed archway and is flanked by octagonal turrets. The archway is splayed inwards towards the door and has a art deco engraved surround. There are masonry steps in front.

W elevation is 6-storey and has similar fenestration to the other main elevations. There is a centrally located entrance portico and stairwell window similar in detail to the E elevation.

The N elevation is 4-storey and has similar fenestration to the other main elevations. There is an entrance to a stairwell in the centre with a 2-storey high stairwell window above. It has masonry surround with stepped moulding and multi-paned window. It is otherwise plainly detailed.

S elevation of courtyard is cranked in profile. It is 4 -storey with most of the façade projecting at third and fourth floor level. This is supported on 2-storey high columns, forming a cloister effect in the courtyard. The façade is mostly brick with the projecting upper floors consisting of a combination of rectangular brick panels and fine dash render. The columns are square, slender and finished in a fine dash render. Fenestration is as per other S Elevation.

The building directly faces Stanmillis and Malone Roads on the E and W. There is a decorative Art Deco style masonry entrance screen located at the Stranmillis Road main entrance with curved low walling and lamp standards. There is an entrance podium at a secondary entrance on Malone Road, see E elevation. A public bar, (The Eglantine Inn) is situated close to the Malone Road elevation (W); a laneway to the right of this gives access to the S elevation. There are some original brick plant buildings to the rear of the adjacent pub. To the left of the Malone Road elevation(W) is the recently constructed QUB Computer Science Building. A laneway to the right of this gives access to the N Elevation. The area around the building is generally tarmaced. The external courtyard to the building is landscaped with lawned areas and trees; pathways traverse the courtyard at the stairwells. The paths have concrete paviors with coloured pebble cobble finish to the edges.

Historical information

The inter-war era witnessed the expansion of the Queen’s University campus beyond the immediate confines of the original 1840s college building, with the construction of the Faculty of Agriculture in Elmwood Avenue in 1926-28, and the commencement of the Whitla Hall in 1939. With the opening up of further education ‘for all’ in the post-war period this enlargement accelerated. The Whitla Hall, postponed during the hostilities, was completed in 1949, and in the same year work the new Geology premises in Elmwood began. The latter was completed in 1954, by which date the University had acquired a large swathe of land between the Malone and Stranmillis Roads and (in conjunction with Belfast Corporation) had begun the construction of what was to become its largest building project to date.

This was to be the new premises for the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The scheme was first put forward shortly after the War when a report to the University recommended that ‘old sandpit’ - long used as a source for the fine sand for metal moulding – behind Chlorine House, (a c.1860s villa sited roughly to the north end of the present complex), be utilised as the site for the departments of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, with space set aside for possible future departments of aeronautical engineering and architecture. It was also recommended that the project aim to cater for higher technological education in Northern Ireland as a whole and as a result the ‘Joint Authority for Higher Technological Studies a combined venture between Queen’s and Belfast Corporation was formed. The new body put forward a concept design, (markedly different than that we see today, its angular layout somewhat reminiscent of a medieval fortress), and the ground was duly acquired, but the impetus behind the project flagged.

It was resuscitated in 1950, when it was decided that Civil Engineering and Chemistry should also be accommodated. Additional land in the vicinity was purchased and London-based architects Lanchester & Lodge engaged to prepare the final plans for the new building, their new design having much in common with the firm’s earlier academic work, in particular at West Herts College where similar curved bays flanking the entrance appear. Oscar Faber & Partners were hired as consulting engineers and F.B. McKee & Co. of Shore Road, Belfast, became the main contractor.

Work finally commenced in March 1952, but the Malone Road section (housing the Chemistry block) was deferred to avoid disturbing Chlorine House during the lifetime of its owner, Colonel Crawford; his death in early 1954, however, allowed this to proceed. Later that same year major alterations to the scheme were brought about by the decision to make room for the departments of Botany and Zoology in the Chemistry section, whilst in 1956 (thanks largely to additional funding from Short Bros. & Harland) a chair of Aeronautical Engineering was established and an extension added to the Stranmillis-facing Civil Engineering block in consequence.

The complex was completed in stages in 1957-58, with the Civil Engineering department occupied in July of the former year and Chemistry, Botany and Zoology in place by the end of the latter, with the whole complex, (named after Sir David Lindsay Keir, the former Vice Chancellor ‘who originated the purchase of the site and the scheme for its development’), officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 21 May 1959.

The 4-page ‘Belfast News-Letter’ report on the opening of the building describes it as a combination of ‘space and symmetry’, having been ‘built close to the boundaries of the site so as to go give maximum accommodation and at the same time provide a spacious and sheltered quadrangle. In general there are the ground floor and three floors above. Because of the sandpit there is in addition a lower ground floor and over the southern portion a basement floor also. The Civil Engineering department faces the Stranmillis Road, and also, with Aeronautical Engineering, occupies the low block to the south of the quadrangle. Chemistry extends from the north entrance on the Stranmillis Road round the north and west sides of the quadrangle. The northern end of the axis of symmetry culminates in a lecture theatre to seat 450… . The top floor of the transverse block on the north of the quadrangle forms an extension to Queen’s Library… . Adjacent to this on the Stranmillis side a common room for students and a cafeteria have been provided… Zoology and Botany occupy the T block facing Malone Road, Zoology below and Botany above… . There are 600 rooms and one mile of corridor. The lifts travel over 200 miles a month. The cost of the building was under £2,000,000, but the total cost, including equipment, will be in access of this figure.’

To complete the project Queen’s had hoped to secure the (mainly late Victorian) properties at the junction of Malone and Stranmillis Roads to create a clear space at the north end of the new building and open a vista into University Road. The owners were unwilling to sell at the prices being offered, however, and the entrance to this end has remained out of sight ever since.
Externally the building retained its original form until recent years, when as part of a major decade-long refurbishment scheme commenced in 2003, new rooftop extensions were added to the Stranmillis Road wing and a block added to the north-eastern corner of the quadrangle. Most of the original window frames have also been replaced.

References – Primary sources
1 ‘Northern Whig’, 29 May, 10 July 1957
2 ‘Belfast News-Letter’, 22 May 1959

Secondary sources
1 Brian Walker and Alf McCreary, ‘Degrees of Excellence – The story of Queen’s, Belfast 1845-1995’, (Bel-fast, 1994), pp.100-01, 114
2 David Evans and Paul Larmour, ‘Queen’s an Architectural legacy’, (Belfast, 1995), pp.44-5

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

S. Authenticity
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

A three-four storey with basement level, red-brick higher education institute designed by London-based architects Lanchester & Lodge, erected between 1952-58. Designed in an eclectic mix of Neo-Georgian and Expressionist styles, the building is irregular in plan and generally consists of adjoining linear blocks arranged around two external courtyards. Located on a site at the N end of the Malone and Stranmillis roads, the building occupies a large section of streetscape between the roads. Retaining most of its internal and external character, including some metal windows, original internal joinery and finishes and original lecture and laboratory room fittings, its grandiose entrance block featuring twin semi-circular stair towers, is of particular note. Located near the intersection of Stranmillis and Malone Roads near the Lanyon Building, Queen’s University Belfast, (HB26.27.005) and W of the Ulster Museum (HB26.27.075), the building is situated within an area of mixed, 19th-century, red-brick, residential and commercial buildings. It is also set within a small cluster of other higher education buildings, including the Ashby Building, (HB26.17.071), on the adjacent site to S. It has group value with other notable academic institutional buildings of the period such as The Whitla Hall, QUB, (HB26/27/067) and The Geology Building QUB, (HB26/27/002). A rare example of a large scale 20th Century brick building with Expressionist features and a landmark building in the Queens University Estate, the building is of significant interest and national importance.