Matthew Building, University of Dundee, 13 Perth Road

The Matthew Building at the University of Dundee, designed by James Paul of Baxter, Clark and Paul between 1969 and 1974, features a single-storey glazed reception area added by Oberlanders Architects in 2012. This Brutalist building serves as an art and technical college and is situated on a long, narrow, sloping site along Perth Road on the south side of the university campus. It has a stepped L-plan that spans nine floor levels and is characterized by a flat-roofed mega-structure made of partly exposed pre-cast concrete frame and panel.

The main elevation facing Perth Road presents an asymmetric arrangement of vertical and horizontal projecting volumes, including a canted bay on the left and a glazed reception entrance at ground level. The side elevations emphasize horizontal lines, with recessed glazing set behind the exposed concrete frame at mid-floor levels. Full-height glazed stairwells extend outward from the higher ends of the east and west side elevations, while a flush glazed stairwell is located on the lower west side elevation. At the rear, a rectangular block extends westward, forming the L-plan, and there is a long, single-storey service wing with a steep mono-pitched roof adjoining to the north. Tall metal ventilation funnels rise from the roof.

The interior remains largely intact, as observed in 2014, featuring extensive board-marked timber shuttered concrete in the central corridor spine, principal staircase, and other communal areas. A central spine gallery runs the length of the building over two floor levels, with a mezzanine at the upper level, flanked by large classroom studios, lecture theatres, and workshops that include angled glazing in the mid-section. A large library is located at mid-level, boasting full-height glazing, and the main stairwells are enhanced with recessed vertical light strips. The building also features metal-frame windows.