12, 13 Rutland Square, Edinburgh

12 and 13 Rutland Square, Edinburgh

A substantial palace-fronted tenement block designed by John Tait, built circa 1830-1840, forming the south-west side of Rutland Square. The building is a 32-bay structure raised to 3 storeys over a basement, with a later attic added, and heightened to 4 storeys at the central 3 bays.

The composition is symmetrically arranged around an advanced and balustraded 5-bay centrepiece (housing Nos 16, 17 and 18), flanked by 8-bay recessed link sections and terminal blocks to either end. The outer left terminal block comprises Nos 12 and 13 with 5 bays; the outer right comprises Nos 21 and 22 with 6 bays.

The principal north-east elevation displays broached sandstone ashlar at basement level, with polished sandstone ashlar above and polished dressings throughout. The sides are rendered in random rubble. Band courses run between the basement and ground floors, and between ground and first floors. A coped balustrade marks the first floor to the centrepiece. Projecting cill courses appear at the second floor, particularly to the terminal blocks, and at the third floor to the centrepiece. Cornices and coped balustrades crown the centrepiece, while cornices and blocking courses finish the flanking bays.

The windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows (15-pane to much of the first floor, 2-pane to the majority of the centrepiece). Moulded architraves frame the windows above basement level, except to the terminal blocks. Fluted Ionic columns support corniced porches (absent at Nos 12, 13 and 22), with an advanced Ionic colonnade linking the porches at the central 3 bays. First-floor windows to the centrepiece have consoled cornices, and a cast-iron Saltaire cross balcony connects these bays at first-floor level. Ashlar steps and entrance platts overhang the basement.

The centrepiece accommodates timber panelled doors with fanlights at basement level: an offset louvred rectangular fanlight to the right of the central bay and rectangular fanlights to bays flanking the centre. Ground-floor doors with large rectangular fanlights, and one with a 4-pane lying-pane fanlight, serve the centrepiece and link blocks. The left link block features an even 2-2-2 fenestration pattern separating ground-floor porches with timber panelled doors and large rectangular fanlights. The right link block contains identical arrangements with doorways at basement in two bays. The terminal blocks to left and right each contain architraved and corniced doorpieces with deep-set timber panelled doors and rectangular fanlights.

Dormers punctuate the roofline. The left link block displays a pair of segmental arched bipartite dormers to the right of centre and a box dormer spanning two bays. The right link block contains 6 evenly disposed segmental arched dormers: tripartites to 2 bays at the left, bipartites to 2 central bays, and bipartites set in a mansard roof to 2 bays at the right. A number of dormers are 2- and 8-pane timber sash and case windows.

The south-east elevation shows 2 panelled timber doors centred at the lower basement, with a window offset to the right of centre at basement level, and regularly disposed windows at upper floors. The north-west elevation features an advanced central bay with a door at ground-floor level and windows to each floor above, flanked by single small windows to the top 2 floors.

The building is finished with a grey slate roof, coped rendered stacks appearing at the south-east and north-west wallheads and at intervals along the block (some executed in sandstone ashlar). Cast-iron rainwater goods complete the external finishes.

At ground floor level, the building has been converted to offices, with the RIAS headquarters occupying No 15 as of 2000. Cornices, skirting boards and timber panelled doors remain predominantly intact throughout the interiors, though the upper floors were not fully inspected in 2000.

A spear-headed cast-iron railing with ashlar cope fronts Rutland Square, with plain railings rising to doors. Pine cone finials crown the shafts flanking the basement gates, though many are now missing. Regularly disposed cast-iron lamp standards with glass globes are mounted along the railings.