University of Hull Venn Building is a Grade II listed building in the Kingston upon Hull, City of local planning authority area, England. First listed on 21 January 1994. University administration building. 2 related planning applications.
University of Hull Venn Building
- WRENN ID
- dark-lead-twilight
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Kingston upon Hull, City of
- Constituency
- Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham MP: Dame Diana Johnson (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 21 January 1994
- Type
- University administration building
- Address
- University of Hull Venn Building, Cottingham Road
- OS grid reference
- TA 076 316
- Coordinates
- 53.76973, -0.36888
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Venn Building is a university administration building constructed in 1927 by the architectural practice WA Forsyth & Partners. It is built in the Neo-Georgian style using brick with ashlar dressings, and is roofed with hipped plain tiles and flat copper sections, topped with nine coped brick ridge stacks.
The building has a square plan with an inner courtyard and rises to 2 and 3 storeys with attics. It comprises approximately 15 by 16 windows. A plinth and moulded eaves are features of the exterior, which is defined by projecting end pavilions on each front.
The eastern entrance front features a projecting centre containing three windows, articulated by shallow pilasters and angle pilasters, with rusticated quoins at ground floor level. The centrepiece consists of a three-light window with moulded sill, flanked by single-light windows, with larger two-light windows beyond. Above are two box dormers with two-light casements. Below this, a central rebated round-arched doorway with hoodmould is set between panelled double doors and a glazing bar fanlight, flanked by single-light windows and two-light windows beyond. To the left, a range features a central three-light window flanked by two-light windows on each floor, with three hipped dormers above containing cross casements. To the right, a similar arrangement includes a central three-light window, with three-light and single windows variously positioned, and three hipped dormers above. The left pavilion has a central three-light window flanked by recessed panels with round-arched blanks; below sits a three-light window flanked by two-light windows. The right pavilion features three-light windows flanked by two-light windows on each floor.
The south front presents a symmetrical range with three-light and two-light windows on each floor and eight hipped dormers above. End pavilions display shallow and angle pilasters with rusticated quoins to ground floor, three-light windows flanked by two-light windows on each floor, and two hipped dormers above.
The west front has a projecting centre with three three-light windows and two hipped dormers above; a round-arched doorway below is flanked by two-light windows. On either side are ranges with four two-light windows on each floor and three dormers. The pavilions feature three-light windows flanked by two-light windows on each floor, with hipped dormers containing three-light windows above.
The three-storey north elevation contains a central range with a two-light window flanked by single windows and two further two-light windows, with five dormers above. The pavilions have three-light windows on each floor towards the centre and four-light box dormers. The courtyard has regular fenestration and box dormers; its eastern projecting centre rises three storeys with a projecting entrance bay containing a Venetian window and a seven-light dormer above. A doorway below is flanked by single windows; beyond are two-light windows on each floor, the ground floor example transomed. The north-west and south-west corners are extruded, the south-west one rising five storeys and topped with a mansard roof.
Windows throughout are predominantly wooden-framed cross casements with leaded glazing.
The interior features a cantilevered concrete dogleg staircase with a patterned cast-iron balustrade and ramped scrolled wooden handrail.
The University College jointly endowed by TR Ferens and the City of Hull became a full university in 1954. The Venn Building forms a group with the grade II listed Cohen Building (formerly the Earth Sciences Block), also designed by WA Forsyth & Partners.
Local climate
University of Hull Venn Building receives an average of 760 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 66% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 58% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 25 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 73% of listed buildings. Of these, 13 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 2 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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