Description

WARDS 7 AND 8, FORMER CUBICLE ISOLATION BLOCK: pioneering cubicle isolation ward block with typical 1930s details, flat-roofed and streamlined on gently sloping site. T-plan. Symmetrical. S-facing cubilces each have doors giving access to verandah on ground floor and sun-balcony at 1st floor.

PRINCIPAL ELEVATION: 15-bay, 2-storey centre block with bow-ended, single storey wings flanking. Balciny extends across centre 13 bays with cantilevered canopy, forming a transom to upper windows. 3-bay centre piece with slightly larger window at centre, 5 flanking bays comprise recessed cubicle wards, clearly defined on exterior by bleu-tiled piers with yellow bands dividing metal-framed, glazed curtain wall with broad metal band at base. Each cubicle bay with 2-leaf doors in centre. Centre block terminated by single windows, recent screen wall obscuring window to ground floor at left. Single storey wings with 2 windows at 3-light bow on return, flat roof with terrace bounded by tubular steel railings. Fins on returns, behind wings, give distinctive feature to facade.

E ELEVATION: from front, 3-light bow with fin to right forming cantilevered canopy over doors at ground and 1st floor levels. Single bay, 2-storey sanitary annexe extends from centre of cubicle bay, 2-storey service wing with 6 single windows on ground and 1st floors, terminated by tall stair window. Single storey, canopied entrance bay to roght, flanked by screen walls with horizontal bands of yellow and white tiles divided by thin black tile-bands. To right of entrance bay, 3-bay single storey block. Windows and doors boarded-up.

W ELEVATION: handed with minor changes noted below. 3-storey lift tower added behind 2-storey sanitary annexe. Service wing has doorway flanked by yellow-tiled piers with canopy across re-entrant resting on 2 tiled piers. No stair window. Single storey bay to left with 2 single windows. Windows and doors boarded up.

REAR ELEVATION: at centre, single storey, single bay end to servvice wing has large tripartite window at right with corner blue-tiled pier, 2-storey, rear of ward block extends to either side with single bay projecting annexes, including later additions. Main block has cantilevered canopy which extends to semi-circular, terminal fins supported by broad dry-dashed piers with blue-tiled heads. Fins provide canopies to doorways on ground and 1st floor returns. Single storey bow extends behind fins. Windows boarded up.

Statement of Interest

Paisley Burgh Council acquired the site on the Hawkhead Estate for the new infectious dieases hospital in 1932. A competition was held for the design which was awarded to Sir John Burnet, Tait and Lorne in 1933, the firms Royal Masonic Hospital at Ravenscourt in London was newly completed to international acclaim. Tait further explored this style at Hawkhead and included this pioneering cubical isolation block, a new development in ward design in which different types of infectious diseases could be treated within the same ward for the first time. The hospital was officially opened on 7 July 1936 and provided 181 beds for patients together with staff accommodation. The external finish to the buildings was originally "Brizolit", a finer textured rough-cast designed not to crack or craze. Photographs of the buildings published in the booklet to accompanmy the official opening show that the blocks were bright and white originally, this was set off by the turquoise, green, yellow and blck tile work.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17567771

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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