Description

Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall and Partners 1965-1970 (Blyth & Blyth, structural engineers; Crudens, contractors). 4-storey, 6-bay, L-plan, arts faculty building, forming part of university faculty group in Modernist style, set on stepped concrete podium with square-plan single storey lecture theatre inserted into re-entrant angle. Ground rising to N, the level of the podium level merges with that of street on ground rising to N, halfway along George Square to E. Reinforced concrete construction with brick infill. Clad in York stone slabs; boarded ceilings to surrounding portico. Recessed corners at ground floor level creating entrance porches to E (George Square) elevation. Horizontal bands of timber-framed windows wrapped around the building to upper floors. Lecture block has narrow band of glazing just below parapet and a pair of escape doors.

INTERIOR: stairs provide link to other arts faculty buildings at sub-podium level, but no basement of its own. Lecture theatre is sunken and top floor has pair of light wells that double as gardens. Timber joinery and plaster walls throughout.

Statement of Interest

A-Group with David Hume Tower (Block A) and David Hume Lecture Block (Block B); Adam Ferguson Building (Block D); George Square Theatre (Block E) (see separate list descriptions). (Also see David Hume Tower list description for full details of the commission and Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall's involvement. The David Hume Tower listing also includes a full description of the stepped podium.)

The Arts Faculty group is one of the key monuments of Scottish Modernism and represents both the aspirations of the nation for its post-war Higher Education system and the ideals of some of Scotland's premier architects. Since then, the David Hume Tower has become one of the city's landmarks and, along with the Appleton Tower (see separate listing), a distinctive feature on the skyline. The architecture is of a very high standard of design and execution and the materials, especially in the tower, are of exceptional quality.

Although there have been redecoration and refurbishment of offices to the William Robertson Building, most of the original fixtures and fittings are still intact, including the timber wall linings of the lecture theatre (June 2004).

Additional glazed storey added (circa 2012-14).

Statutory address updated (2015). Previously listed as '42 George Square, University of Edinburgh, Arts Faculty, William Robertson Building (Block C)'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17803290

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)