Little Pavilion, Botanic Gardens, Belfast

Little Pavilion, Botanic Gardens, Belfast

This modest single-storey flat-roofed brick structure was constructed by William Scott & Sons in late 1933 and opened in early 1934. Formerly known as the Elderly Mens' Shelter, it was built by Belfast Corporation as part of a programme to provide shelters in public parks throughout the city in the mid-20th century. Most of these shelters have since been demolished, and this may be the only surviving example. The shelter is located along the north-east boundary of Botanic Gardens, approximately halfway between the Palm House to the north-east and the boundary of Botanic Primary School to the south-east, and is surrounded by mature planting. The rear of the structure abuts the boundary wall of the main library of Queen's University.

The front south-west elevation is symmetrical, featuring a raised Art Deco-type entrance at each end. The entrances consist of a central flush timber door with applied metal sheet, set within staggered brick piers that step back and rise with flat concrete coping stones. Originally the brickwork above the doors displayed herringbone detail, but this has been replaced with plainer brickwork that now incorporates a rectangular opening beneath the central section. Between the two entrances is a painted rendered infilled central section with high-level ribbon windows. The lower half of this section is painted rough render, with ribbon PVC windows to the upper section set on a continuous painted concrete cill. Metal grilles now protect the windows. The flat roof is covered with roofing felt. A concrete ramped access has been formed across the front, rising to the right-side entrance with a simple painted metal handrail, with three concrete steps leading to the landing. A former original game feature at the base of the ramp comprises concrete paving slabs with indented numbers.

The side elevations display English garden wall bond brickwork with a row of brick soldiers at floor level. A single plastic downpipe is centrally located. Terracotta ventilation bricks at high level sit beneath concrete coping stone with overlapping roofing felt. The rear north-east elevation is built against the boundary wall, with a small brick chimney at the central position topped with flat concrete coping stone. Former raised sections of brickwork, visible in historic photographs, have now been removed.

The building has undergone significant alteration since its completion. Historic photographs show the original form included an open arcaded section, which was walled up in the 1960s or 1970s due to vandalism. The brickwork above the end entrances has also been replaced in different form. An anonymous letter to the editor of the Northern Whig in January 1934 criticised the new shelter as too small for its purpose, describing it as dark and comfortless and unable to accommodate the numbers that had used the previous wooden shelter it replaced. The letter notes that the old wooden shelter, which stood in the same location, had accommodated as many as 120 grown-ups during heavy rain. Map evidence suggests the original wooden shelter was built sometime between 1873 and 1883, though it may itself have been replaced before the 1930s.

The structure is constructed of red and brown brick walls with roofing felt to the roof and plastic rainwater goods. Windows are uPVC.