Description

Leadbetter and Fairley, 1899-1902. Usher Institute of Public Health, now converted for residential use (2015), in Renaissance palazzo style with Beaux Arts detailing. 3-storey; recessed central block with pavilion wings. Base course; cill courses at 1st and 2nd floors; deep bracketted eaves cornice; banded ground floor; keystoned segmental-arched windows to ground floor of pavilions; lugged architraved surrounds to 2nd floor windows.

The Warrender Park Road elevation to the north is 6 bays, with the central block recessed. Advanced central doorcase with banded Ionic columns, entablature and 3 heraldic shields set in frieze; architraved and lugged splayed doorway with keystone; original bell-pull; modern tripartite door; advanced single windows in 2 bays above; semi-circular pediment breaking eaves over heraldic carving; stone obelisk finial; single windows in 2 bays flanking to left and right; balustraded parapet above eaves. Pavilion wing to outer left; 4-bay at ground with central windows advanced; giant Ionic pilasters flanking central 3 bays at 1st and 2nd floors; Gibbsian windows at 2nd floor; broken pediment above; single windows in bays to outer left and right. Pavilion wing to outer right; 4-bay at ground floor with central windows advanced; giant Ionic pilasters flanking 2 round-arched keystoned windows with fanlight glazing patterns at 1st floor and 3 Gibbsian windows at 2nd floor; broken pediment above; small single windows in bays to outer left and right.

The east elevation to Spottiswoode Street has 3 segmental-arched and keystoned windows at ground; 5 single windows at 1st and 2nd floors; those in 2nd and 4th bays at 3rd floor taller and segmental-arched with Gibbsian surrounds. The west elevation has tripartite and small single windows at ground; oeil-de-beouf windows flanking 2 round-arched keystoned windows with fanlight glazing patterns at 1st floor. 3 segmental-arched Gibbsian windows at 2nd floor.

Plate glass in timber sash and case windows with 2-pane lower sashes. Red pantiled roof; rainwater goods, including hoppers.

The interior was seen in 2015. The entrance hall has terrazzo tiling to the floor, is lined with oak timber panelling with 6-panel timber doors and timber Ionic pilasters at the corners. There is also a dentilled cornice. The stairway is lined with porcelain tiles and its windows have some decorative coloured glass. The majority of the remainder of the building has been converted into student accommodation.

Low coped boundary wall with replacement railings to streets; corniced ashlar gatepiers with quadrant walls to W.

Statement of Interest

102 Warrender Park Road is an imposing building with some excellent decorative features, particularly around the windows. Internally, the building has been converted into student accommodation, but the entrance hall retains some good timber decoration.

Edinburgh University was the first university in Britain to have a department of Public Health. In 1898 Sir John Usher of Norton endowed a chair of Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, and promised to build and equip suitable laboratories and classrooms once a professor had been appointed. The resulting building, built on land provided by the University and opened in 1902, was the John Usher Institute of Public Health. Although the Institute was to be administered by the University, Sir John made it clear in his deed of gift that 'the said Institute should be made useful to the Public Health Administration of the City of Edinburgh'. The interior contained various teaching and research rooms, analysis rooms for gas and water, optical and balance rooms, bacteriological and chemical laboratories. There was also a lecture theatre at the west end of the building with seating for 200 students. There was also a flat in the basement for the janitor.

In 1986-8, the Public Health Department moved from the Usher Institute to other premises within the University. The building has been converted into student accommodation.

Thomas Leadbetter and James Fairley was an Edinburgh based practice, working from 1895-1902.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2016. Previously listed as '102 Warrender Park Road, Former Usher Institute'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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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