North Tay Centre, Loon's Road

William M Wilson, Dundee, 1937-38; further range at rear early 1950s. Rare survival of little-altered Art Deco style 2-storey, 7-bay, rectangular-plan office block fronting more utilitarian 1950s block, built for McGregor and Balfour Limited, timber merchant. Horizontal design emphasised with base, cill, lintel and blocking courses punctuating contrasting green tile, harl and concrete banding; cantilevered canopy over entrance; metal/Crittal windows; good interior scheme retained. 2-storey, rectangular-plan, linking store and office at rear with full-height bowed SW angle, glass brick openings at ground floor and ribbon window-effect at 1st floor. Rear block of harl with banded 1st floor cill course and blocking course.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION:

OFFICE BLOCK: symmetrical principal SE elevation incorporating terrazzo steps up to canopied centre doorway with flanking bowed windows, tile-banded doorpiece and deep-set, horizontally-panelled 2-leaf timber door. Large tripartite stair window to NE.

REAR BLOCK: 4 glass brick openings to ground at NW and bowed angle at right.

Multi-pane tripartite glazing patterns, with wide centre tripartites to SE; 4 bowed horizontal panes to windows flanking entrance; decorative 12-pane glazing pattern to fixed timber stair window. Modern windows to 1st floor rear block. Cast iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers.

INTERIOR: good decorative scheme in place. Much high quality timberwork and panelling (see Notes) to 2 ground floor front rooms and 1st floor (right). Dark wood panelling to entrance foyer and ground floor passages retained beneath modern wall covering. Plain moulded plasterwork cornices. Each principal ground floor office with squared panelling incorporating desk and shelving, rustic brick fireplace. Dog-leg staircase with brass handrails. Large 1st floor board room with smart period detail incorporating vertical panelling of ripple plane tree crowned by dogtooth cornice at picture rail height, timber fire surround and overmantel, light fittings (see Notes), clock and radiator housing. Strong rooms at each floor with makers plate 'RELIANCE/ DOOR' 'John Tann's Newgate St London'. Rear block incorporates large, plainer spaces.