736 Antrim Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached four-bay three-storey rendered villa having set-back second floor and roof terrace, two-storey circular bay to north-east and single-storey extension to west, constructed in a Modernist-style in 1934 to the designs of Hugh Gault. Located on an elevated site at the corner of Antrim Road and Glencoe Park with detached garage to west and coursed retaining boundary wall to south and east having saw-tooth capping.

Flat roof having raised stepped parapet with flat coping stone forming roof terrace to south and east sides at second floor level. Painted horizontal metal railings, lead-lined gutter discharging to cast-iron hoppers and circular downpipes. Smooth rendered chimney to north having terracotta pots. Flat felt roof to second floor roof pavilion and extension to west. Roughcast rendered walls having smooth rendered painted plinth and painted horizontal band to first floor string course. Square-headed openings throughout having painted reveals and painted rendered sills. Timber casement windows throughout, unless otherwise stated.

East elevation is four-bay two-storey with set-back second floor. Curved south-east corner incorporating windows to ground and first floor. Two-storey circular bay to north-east corner incorporating windows on curved plan.

South elevation is four-bay two-storey with set-back second floor. Curved south-east corner incorporating windows to ground and first floor. Recessed entrance porch with smooth rendered splayed surround having stepped reveals; timber panelled entrance door and tiled floor finish. Side elevation of single-storey extension to west having timber panelled entrance door.

West elevation is four-bay three-storey with picture window extending from first floor to second floor having leaded coloured glass inset. Square-headed opening to extension.

North elevation is three-bay three-storey having two-storey circular bay to north-east corner incorporating windows on curved plan.

Setting:
Building is located on an elevated site at the corner of Antrim Road and Glencoe Park with view to east of Belfast Lough. Garage to west located at basement level having flat roof with painted coping and metal railings with rendered walls and square-headed opening with metal shutter door. Rendered retaining boundary wall to south and coursed sandstone retaining boundary wall to east with pair of painted rendered splayed piers and decorative metal gate leading to rendered steps; gardens enclosed to south and east.

Roof: Flat concrete
RWG: Leaded and cast-iron
Walls: Roughcast render
Windows: Timber casement

Historical information

No. 736 Antrim Road, a two-and-three-storey modernist house located at the corner of Glencoe Park, was constructed in 1934. The house was built as part of the suburban development of the townlands of Low Wood and Green Castle which took place during the interwar period. The building, along with the adjoining No. 738 Antrim Road, were constructed on land leased by a Mr. J. F. Miller.
No. 736 Antrim Road was designed by Hugh Gault (c. 1900-1956), a local architect who primarily undertook domestic contracts in Belfast’s suburbs. The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that Gault was the architectural representative to the Borough Building Society in Northern Ireland (DIA). Gault designed No. 736 in a distinctive modernist style with an accessible flat roof providing sweeping views of Belfast Lough. Larmour records that Gault designed three flat-roofed modernist houses in Belfast with the other two located in Lismoyne Park (1933) and Cleaver Gardens (1937). The First Survey described his design in the following terms: ‘Two-storey flat-roofed modernist house … curved corner to one side and curving bay occupying other side of main façade. Stepped parapet with railings and sweeping horizontal band in black around building’ (Irish Builder, p. 557; DIA; Larmour, p. 90).

The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) records that No. 736 Antrim Road was valued at £58 upon its completion and that J. F. Miller leased the house to John Colgan, a local auctioneer. The valuer also noted that the adjoining No. 738 Antrim Road was constructed in the same year as No. 736, although the neighbouring house was designed in a more conservative Neo-Georgian style, popular in Ulster at the time. John Colgan continued to reside at No. 736 Antrim Road until c. 1970 at which time the value of the house had been increased to £67 under the Second General Revaluation (1956-72).

No. 736 Antrim Road was listed in 1994. Field inspection of the site, carried out as part of the Second Survey, has found that few changes have been made to the original layout of the building. No. 736 Antrim Road, along with No. 5 Waterloo Park (HB26/51/012), are excellent examples of modernist architect constructed in the interwar period of which there are few surviving examples remaining in Northern Ireland (NIEA HB Records).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1921)
2. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/3 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57)
3. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/1 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72)
4. Ulster Town Directories (1932-1943)
5. Irish Builder (30 Jun 1934)
6. First Survey Record – HB26/51/011 (No Date)
7. NIEA Listing File – HB26/51/011
8. NIEA HB Records – HB26/51/011

Secondary Sources
1. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie/

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A well-proportioned and detailed detached four-bay three-storey rendered villa constructed in a Modernist-style in 1934, to designs by local architect Hugh Gault. The building is of architectural significance as it is one of a group of relatively few buildings constructed in a Modernist-style in Northern Ireland. Many characteristic features have survived such as the flat roof, circular bays, the curved plan elements, recessed second floor and Art Deco doorway. Of artistic interest is the leaded coloured glass window to the rear elevation which contrasts against the white rendered walls and enhances the appearance of the facade. Located on the Antrim Road on a prominent elevated site overlooking Belfast Lough, with its original garage and stone retaining wall boundary, the building makes a positive contribution to the character of the area.