Nicholson Hall, The Lawns

Nicholson Hall, The Lawns

Nicholson Hall is a university hall of residence built between 1963 and 1967 to designs by Isi Metzstein and Andrew MacMillan of Gillespie, Kidd and Coia, architects appointed by the University of Hull in 1961. The hall forms one of six linked residences that together comprise The Lawns planned layout.

The building is constructed of loadbearing brick walls in buff and grey handmade sandstock bricks, with ground floors and roofs of timber and intermediate floors of concrete. Each hall is planned as a self-contained quadrangle comprising three storeys of study bedrooms plus a basement, with a lower range behind housing wardens and tutorial staff. The roughly triangular plan features broken and staggered sides, with staggered cross-walls forming a series of parallelograms that define the study bedrooms. These are split into five self-contained staircase units, each room having its own angled balcony concealed from its neighbours by the stepped plan. Nicholson Hall abuts Lambert Hall and Morgan Hall, with Reckitt and Grant Halls similarly abutting to form two linear groups creating longer zig-zag walls of study bedrooms. Downs Hall stands freestanding between the two groups.

The outer, flat-roofed brick elevation of three storeys and a basement faces west over the central grassland. Five obliquely angled blocks of five stepped bays project outward in a rough triangle to the foremost central block, with the recessed first block partially abutting Morgan Hall and the recessed fifth block partially abutting Lambert Hall. Each study bedroom has an orthogonally set window and balcony, concealed from its neighbour by the stepped plan. The balconies feature thick brick balustrades with narrow gaps below. Rows of bricks set vertically or on edge mark floor and roof slabs and the edges of the balustrades. Rooms are fitted with timber-framed sliding windows providing access to the balconies. Each block incorporates an orthogonal staircase bay with full-width fixed and top-hinged timber-framed windows and copper fascias. The staircase bays are positioned differently in the various blocks, creating a varying rhythm to the facades. On the left-hand side of the central block, a shallow angled flight of brick steps descends to an underpass leading through to the quadrangle. The brick return walls feature three or four rows of horizontal windows mostly at the inner end, some with an offset deeper window beneath for lighting kitchens and bathrooms. The central block includes a timber-framed sliding glazed doorway to the left return.

The inner elevation comprises three-storey, five-bay stepped blocks of study bedrooms with balustrades. The central three blocks face east into the quadrangle whilst the two outer blocks overlook grass and trees. Three external flights of brick steps with steel ribbon balustrades lead up to oversized timber and glazed doorways into staircase halls. A shallow flight of wide brick-edged steps and an angled flight of brick steps lead down to the underpass, which contains oversized doors into the two other staircase halls. Paths alongside the blocks are edged with low zig-zag brick walls.

The quadrangle is closed by a lower, flat-roofed east range with similar brickwork detailing. Abutting the inner corners of the outermost three-storey blocks are single-storey stepped blocks of two bays with sliding windows opening into the quadrangle and doors to the side elevations. The north block contains a brick storage area on its outer, east side and a canopy over the quadrangle entrance attached to another single-storey, single-bay block projecting eastwards that incorporates a garage. A two-storey, flat-roofed warden's house is attached to this block and the south block. The south block has a stepped front elevation facing into the quadrangle, with a glazed porch and landing window above, both with timber fascias, and a taller block on the right featuring two horizontal slit windows on the first floor and a small rectangular window on the ground floor. The rear, east elevation is stepped with windows on both floors overlooking a private garden enclosed by a zig-zag brick wall.

Each of the five study bedroom blocks is arranged around a staircase placed either parallel to or at right angles to stepped rooms on wide landings. Half-level parlours off the parallel stairs have been converted to en-suite bathrooms, and those off right-angle stairs have been converted to bedrooms. Some blocks have study bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms whilst others have shared bathrooms off the landings. On each floor, larger kitchens have been inserted either into former double study bedrooms or extended single rooms.

The circulation areas have exposed brick walls with concrete floor plates and plywood panelling, wood-veneered doors and timber architraves on the landings. Ground-floor stair entrances have tiled floors and the ceilings on the ground floor and top floor have timber boarding. The staircases feature balustrades of three horizontal timber rails fixed to slender square black steel posts and steel brackets, with the upper and middle rails swept and individual straight bottom rails.

The study bedrooms have plastered walls. The warden's house features exposed brick walls to the stairwell, first-floor landing and the double-height dining area at the foot of the stairs, which is separated from the living room by a feature brick wall with a hatch in the opposing wall into the kitchen. The remaining rooms are plastered, with wood veneer doors and timber architraves. The porch has a tiled floor and the living room, dining room and landing have timber boarded ceilings. The closed-string staircase has plywood panelling beneath the balustrade of slender vertical timber posts attached to a horizontal rail and alternating between full-height posts and lower posts forming apertures. A similar balustrade on the first-floor landing overlooks the dining area. Most fixtures and fittings have been replaced. The attached blocks contain some tiled floors, wood-veneered doors and timber architraves, with most fixtures and fittings replaced.

The courtyard contains low walls bounding paths, external steps to the staircase blocks and steps to the underpass, with additional steps to the underpass on the west side of the building.