Description

Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, 1898. 4-storey, 3-bay Baroque commercial building with shallow bowed front to 1st floor and wealth of Classical detailing. Polished grey granite ashlar with moulded architraves. Rusticated base course, chamfered quoins to ground and 1st floors.

Central keystoned entrance flanked by fixed-pane windows; scrolled brackets supporting bowed cornice; curved balustrade between 1st and 2nd floors. 3rd and 4th storeys dominated by central pedimented section with 4 engaged columns dividing bays. Flanked by stone urns. Garland swags divide 3rd and 4th storeys. Dentilled pediment with occulus. Fine, stained glass stair window at canted NE corner bay at E elevation.

Non-traditional stained timber sash and case windows; grey slate. Long, narrow late 20th century extention to rear.

INTERIOR: Full height hardwood panelling to entrance hall and decorative cornice. Otherwise comprehensively modernised.

Statement of Interest

A bold and highly ornate commercial building by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, one of Aberdeen's most prolific and well-renowned architects. It adds significantly to the character of Regents Quay. The Baroque style adopted here is representative of Mackenzie's work at the end of the 19th century, before he began his experiments with Neo-Gothic exemplified by the outstanding façade of Marischal College.

The harbour at Aberdeen accounts for the city's prosperity, representing the key to its history. Development of Aberdeen Harbour gathered momentum from the late 18th century when the physical restrictions caused by the shallow depth of the Denburn estuary became problematic for increasingly heavy trade. In the 18th century, the Shiprow quayside was greatly increased forming the terrace which was to become Regent Quay. The 18th century buildings that line Regents Quay originally looked out over the sands and tributaries of the Dee, before the construction of Victoria Dock (1848). John Wood's map of 1810 shows the location for the intended wet dock, running the length of the as yet unnamed Trinity, Regent and Waterloo quays, all designed by renowned engineer Thomas Telford during the 1840's.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17778327

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)