Leeds College Of Art And Design And Attached Railings

Leeds College of Art and Design, along with its attached railings, is a college building constructed in 1902 by architects Bedford and Kitson. The structure features a steel frame, red brick with stone bands, hipped slate roofs, and cast-iron railings. It stands three storeys over a basement and has a four-bay front, with the right bay recessed. The main entrance is located on the right return, accessed by steps that lead to half-glazed double doors set within a Gibbs-style surround. Above the doors is an open segmental pediment with a small window, and a large glass mosaic plaque by Gerald Moira that depicts seated Classical figures along with the words "LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART" and three laurel wreaths.

The building has a modillion cornice, an entablature, and a second cornice that extends around to the Vernon Street frontage. This facade features a narrow central bay flanked by wider hipped-roof bays, which are defined by pilaster strips. The windows are large and steel-framed, with a central round window at the upper-floor level and a stepped modillion cornice.

On the left return, there are four bays with pilasters between them, and the main glazing is centered and to the left. Inside, many original features remain, including four large plain columns in the entrance hall that support the first floor.

The railings extend across the Vernon Street frontage and the left return, complemented by a low stone-coped wall with scrolled panels that have segmental tops and pointed bars. This college is part of an important group of schools built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as part of the Leeds Institute on Cookridge Street. The foundation stone was laid by Sir James Kitson, MP, in 1902, and the college was opened in 1903 by Ernest William Beckett, MP. The former name of the college honors the artist Jacob Kramer, who lived from 1892 to 1962.