15 Calton Hill, Edinburgh

15 Calton Hill is a classical office building designed by W.R. Fleming and constructed in 1908. The building presents symmetrical elevations, with three bays facing east and five bays facing south, across three storeys and an attic. It is built of polished ashlar, with glazed brick to the rear. A dividing band runs between the ground and first floors, and again between the first and second floors. A band course and main cornice sit above the second floor, accompanied by an eaves cornice and blocking course. Giant pilasters divide the central three bays of the east and south elevations at the first floor level, with matching pilaster strips on the attic floors. The fenestration is regular throughout.

The principal east elevation features a two-leaf timber-panelled door with a plain fanlight set within a round-arched opening. This is flanked by round-arched windows with recessed aprons. A chamfered corner, applied only to the ground floor, is visible at the far right, featuring an ogee stop-chamfer. Blind windows are situated in the central bays of the second and attic floors. The south elevation has been raised to first floor level, with no windows in the outer left and right bays at this level. The rear, west elevation is three bays wide and constructed of white glazed brick with polished ashlar cills and lintels. The north elevation is partly hidden by the adjoining buildings at 9-13 Calton Hill (see separate listing).

The building has plate glass glazing in timber sash and case windows, and also in timber T-bar pattern windows to the round-arched openings. A corniced stone wall-end stack is present on the north elevation, topped with circular cans. A concealed flat roof supports a small, square, pilastered and corniced ashlar plant room at the northwest corner.

Inside, a small, timber-panelled entry lobby leads to a ground floor reception room, which also features timber panelled walls, a corniced and coffered ceiling, and an elaborate wrought iron lift within the main stairwell. The stairwell’s interior is timber-panelled, with a wrought iron lift barrier acting as a stair banister throughout the building's height. A second floor room facing east contains timber panelling, a timber chimney-piece with an overmantel and mirror, a plaster frieze depicting putti, a ceiling cornice, and a moulded plaster border with arabesque style motifs. A similar frieze, cornice, and ceiling treatment is found in the adjacent room. Further timber panelling and door pieces remain in other parts of the building.