Public Health Chambers, 15 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh

The Public Health Chambers, located at 15 Johnston Terrace in Edinburgh, is a former teacher training college designed by George Smith between 1844 and 1845. This building is two stories tall, with four stories at the rear, and features an eight-bay symmetrical design topped with an M-shaped roof. It showcases Jacobean and Baronial architectural details and is constructed of polished coursed ashlar, with rubble at the rear. The building has a moulded eaves course and a parapet adorned with urns, while the windows are set in tabbed surrounds.

On the north elevation facing Johnston Terrace, the slightly advanced central block has buckle quoining and a finialled curvilinear gable, flanked by ogee-topped octagonal pinnacles. It features paired doors, with the right door being glazed, and sunburst fanlights set in chamfered keyblocked roll-moulded surrounds beneath a bracketed cornice and strapwork pediment that includes a thistle detail. The first floor has two windows, and there is an oriel window in the gable. The three-bay flanking blocks have strapwork pediments above the ground floor windows and keyblocks above the second-floor windows.

The west elevation, which faces the Patrick Geddes Steps, consists of four bays with later windows added in the second bay from the left and round-arched windows in the left gable. The original second-floor windows have strapwork pediments, and there are chimney stacks with chequer-set corbelling on the left and a V-shaped corbel below the eaves cornice on the right.

The building features 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows, is covered with grey slates, and has corniced end stacks and diamond stalks along the ridge.