Electricity Sub-Station

NZ2664SE BRINKBURN STREET 1833/30/10146 BYKER 22-JAN-07 (West side) 18-40 GORDON STREET BYKER (South side) 62,64 AND 66 BRINKBURN STREET BYKER (Off) ELECTRICITY SUB-STATION

GV II* Terrace of houses, interrupted by blocks of flats. 1974-6 by Ralph Erskine's Arkitektkontor; site architect Vernon Gracie; structural engineer, White, Young and Partners; main contractor, Shepherd Construction. Pale metric modular brick on timber frame, with green and brown weatherboarding to houses. Nos. 18-20, 31-33 and 38-40 are flats of part reinforced concrete and concrete block construction over open ground floor, clad in brick and with green and red-brown timber fronted balconies. All units have blue metal roofs supported on plywood box beam purlins. Two-storey houses, three-storey flats. Nos. 62-6 Gordon Road with red-brown bird box to side, and open timber porches to front. Nos. 21-30 Brinkburn Street with hoods over front doors. Nos. 31-33 with green balconies, and stores on ground floor under steps at side leading to the first-floor entrances; double-height timber balcony at rear. No. 34 has yellow eaves at rear, and catslide over porch to front. Nos. 38-40 similar to the other flats, but with red-brown balconies. Timber windows with aluminium opening lights; timber doors with glazed panel, some renewed in hardwood. The terrace backs on to Brinkburn Square, with which it forms a group, and continues the distinctive idiom of enclosed squares so distinctive of the Gordon Road neighbourhood. A small Erskine rectangular brick built structure with lean-to roof, housing an original electricity sub-station is situated south of 38-40 Brinkburn Street.

HISTORY: See under Nos 1-75 Dunn Terrace

SOURCES: See under Nos 1-75 Dunn Terrace