Former Domestic Science Building In Grounds Of Uphall Primary School

TQ 48 NW 937-/5/10016

UPHALL ROAD, Ilford (west side) Former domestic science building in grounds of Uphall Primary School

II

Domestic Science building, in grounds of earlier school for girls and infants (1908 - not included). 1937 for Essex County Council. In-situ reinforced concrete, white rendered, on industrial black brick plinth. Modern Movement style. Flat projecting roofs, particularly expressive on the upper storey. Symmetrical pair of chimneys to rear. Symmetrical plan, mainly single storey, with first-floor spine placed centrally behind projecting porch. 2 curved projecting wings at rear. Ground floor with classroom for cookery and needlework to left, with flat for girls to practice housewifery to right. Art room on first floor. Large roof terrace with steel railings. Steel-framed windows in long horizontal strips which turn round on to side elevations. Smaller tripartite windows to sides, curved windows to projecting wings and first floor, all with horizontal steel glazing bars, and dark projecting brick sills. Door concealed behind porch. The long windows, dark sills, plinth and projecting roofs and railings all give a strong horizontal emphasis to the design, which is counterpoised by the curved projections, particularly the first floor spine. INTERIOR: not inspected.

The building was designed to teach home economics and housewifery to the girls of the adjoining school. In the 1930s such a training was thought to be important for girls, who could then go on to set up their own homes with an understanding of domestic science and household management. In style the building is firmly of the modern movement, unusual in an elementary school building of this date, and reminiscent of Duiker's and Bijvoet's sanatorium Zonnestraal in the Netherlands.

Listing NGR: TQ4377985307