| Summary : The University of Leeds began as the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874. It assumed independent university status in 1904. After 1945 it grew more rapidly than any other British university and by 2004 boasted 31,500 students. The university buildings developed in three main phases under different architectural practices; Alfred Waterhouse from 1877, Lanchester, Lucas and Lodge in the 1920s-50s, and Chamberlin, Powell and Bon in 1963-78.The early buildings by Alfred Waterhouse, near the centre of the present site, include the School of Textiles and Design (1879), the Baines Wing (1881-5) and the Gothic Revival style Great Hall (1890-4). The Great Hall is of red brick with stone dressings and has a large perpendicular traceried window between two tall towers with pyramidal roofs and bartizans. Alfred's son, Paul, added further additions after 1902. The buildings at the north of the present campus were built between 1924 and 1963 by Lanchester, Lucas and Lodge and their successors. These include the Brotherton Library and the monumental Parkinson Building. The former possesses a circular reading room, some 50m in diameter, with a gallery and green marble columns supporting a concrete dome. The later has its main façade at the east with a recessed portico up a wide staircase and a landmark clock tower with a pyramid roof. The work of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon is largely to the south; a carefully drawn up master plan involving a central block of communal lecture theatres and the disposition of other departmental buildings around it. These extend down steep slopes towards the Leeds inner ring road, which was sunk underground in order to retain the link between the University, the Infirmary and the city. The buildings were based on a modular tartan grid clad with Forticrete concrete blocks and separated at intervals with beams and columns distributing the main services. Internally there were three main walkways to aid circulation around this part of the campus. |
More information : The University of Leeds began as the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874. It assumed independent university status in 1904. By 1939 there were 1,750 full-time students. After 1945 it grew more rapidly than any other British University and by 2004 boasted 31,500 students. The university buildings developed in three main phases under different architectural practices; Alfred Waterhouse from 1877, Lanchester, Lucas and Lodge in the 1920s-50s, and Chamberlin, Powell and Bon in 1963-78.
The early buildings by Alfred Waterhouse off University Road, near the centre of the present site, include the School of Textiles and Design (1879), the Baines Wing (1881-5) and the Gothic Revival style Great Hall (1890-4). The Great Hall is of red brick with stone dressings and has a large perpendicular traceried window between two tall towers with pyramidal roofs and bartizans. Alfred's son Paul added further additions after 1902, including the Neo-Georgian Agriculture Building (now Geography).
The buildings at the north of the present campus were built between 1924 and 1963 by Lanchester, Lucas and Lodge and their successors. These include the Brotherton Library (opened 1936), the Parkinson Building (1937-51), departmental buildings for Mining (1928-30), Physics (1932) and Chemistry (1934), the Students' Union (opened 1939), University House (1955), Man Made Fibres (1954-6), Michael Saddler Building For Arts, Houldsworth School (1958), Civil Engineering (1960), Mechanical Engineering (1961) and Electrical Engineering (1963). The monumental Parkinson Building has a recessed portico up a wide staircase at the east and a landmark clock tower with a pyramid roof. The Brotherton Library possesses a circular reading room some 50m in diameter with a gallery and green marble columns supporting a concrete dome.
The work of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon is largely at the south of the site; a carefully drawn up master plan involving a central block of communal lecture theatres and the disposition of other departmental buildings around it. These extend down steep slopes towards the Leeds inner ring road, which was sunk underground in order to retain the link between the University, the Infirmary and the city. They include Mathematics, Earth Sciences and Computer Science (1966), the Senior Common Room (1964-7), the E.C. Stoner Building, the Roger Stevens Building (1968-70), Garstang and Irene Manton wings (1969-70), Edward Boyle Library (1975), Economics and Social Sciences, and on the west side of the campus two halls of residence; the Henry Price Building (1963-4) and Charles Morris Hall (1964-66).
The buildings were based on a modular tartan grid clad with Forticrete concrete blocks and separated at intervals with beams and columns distributing the main services. Internally there were main three levels of walkway (the red, green and purple routes) to aid circulation around the campus. Buildings were also divided internally in block partitions to provide flexibility in use. At the centre of the complex is Chancellors Court, around which most of the other buildings are grouped. Here the Roger Stevens Building dominates the quadrangle. It has 16 raked lecture theatres and at right angles a further nine set over a glazed café and television studio. (1-3)
Many of the buildings of leeds university appear on the statutory list. At the time of writing (2011) access to the listed building descriptions is through the National Heritage List for England (4) |