Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Summerhall, Edinburgh

Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Summerhall, Edinburgh

The Royal (Dick) Veterinary College is an Edwardian Baroque building designed by David McArthy and constructed between 1909 and 1916, with significant later additions. The original structure is an 11-bay college building of three storeys and basement, with a commanding composition of linked pavilions. The centrepiece is a three-storey, three-bay central pavilion with two-storey, three-bay wings flanked by pedimented single-bay outer pavilions. All elevations are faced in pink ashlar with a balustraded parapet.

The central pavilion projects forward and features channelled pilasters at its corners, supporting mullioned and transomed tripartite windows. The principal entrance is particularly impressive: a two-leaf glazed timber-panelled door with a sunburst fanlight is set within a blocked round-arched surround with a segmental pediment and flanking blocked columns on pedestals. Above this, the first-floor displays an entrance and Venetian window, flanked by giant Ionic columns bearing a segmental pediment. The linking bays between pavilions are divided by giant Ionic columns. The outer bays are marked by channelled pilaster strips and pedimented tops, each containing tripartite windows with Ionic colonnettes at first-floor level bearing segmental pediments. A stone balustrade fronts the basement area of the central pavilion, while cast-iron railings protect the outer wings.

Internally, a glazed vestibule with bevelled glass leads through a timber-panelled glazed door with a broken pediment into a timber-panelled stair hall. The staircase is an Imperial design with Ionic columns, turned balusters, and a moulded timber handrail. A notable feature is a stained glass Venetian window with a memorial to William Dick. Modern glazing has since been installed throughout.

Block D (constructed 1967-1971) is a major seven-storey laboratory tower with basement, designed by Alan Reiach, Eric Hall and Partners, with T A Jamieson as project architect and Blyth & Blyth as structural engineers. This is a square-plan structure with chamfered corners, built in reinforced concrete with brick and blockwork infill. Its facades are articulated with pre-cast concrete spandrel panels, ribs, and Derbyshire Spar aggregate panels, combined with compound-coated slate-grey steel (Galbestos) ribbed panels and ceramic facing tiles. Red-coloured tiles distinguish the ground and first floors. Windows are set within reddish pre-cast spandrel panels that continue around the chamfered corners, with vertical smooth white ribs articulating the bays. The sixth floor is more densely clad in ribbed compound panels, echoing the fascia of the link to the original building. A sunken lecture theatre wing extends to the south-east, and a single-storey link connects to the 1916 building on the south. Laboratories within have been completely refurbished, with remaining original features retained.

Block B (1967-1971), also by Alan Reiach, Eric Hall and Partners, is a four-storey rectangular-plan extension forming the south-east wing and partially enclosing a courtyard. It adjoins the 1916 building at the third and fourth floors, with a pend entrance to the courtyard below. An enclosed steel bridge at first-floor level provides a connection to earlier courtyard buildings to the rear. Construction is reinforced concrete with brick and blockwork infill, finished with red-tinted aggregate panels and facing tiles to the lower storeys. The stair tower features opaque moulded glass panels with sides clad in reddish ceramic tiles. The south (principal) elevation displays an external stair leading to the first-floor entrance with glazed doors and a row of windows set in a timber frame; continuous bands of timber-framed windows extend across the second and third floors. The north (courtyard) elevation has similar fenestration, with ground-floor windows and a projecting glazed stair. A pend fitted with wrought-iron gates marks the courtyard entrance. Interiors are plain with some hardwood detailing and are relatively unchanged from their original state. The linking bridge between blocks is a later addition to this scheme.