Bonar Hall, Park Place, University Of Dundee

Bonar Hall, located at Park Place in the University of Dundee, was designed by Isi Metzstein and Andy MacMillan of Gillespie, Kidd & Coia and built between 1975 and 1977. This two-storey assembly hall features a stepped, asymmetrical modular plan and is situated on a restricted site. The exterior is characterized by broad expanses of yellow brick, with angular glazed sections and infills that have dark-stained timber surrounds and horizontal boarding. There are foyers on both the ground and first floors, with the main hall located to the south.

The principal elevation on the southwest side has a recessed entrance at the center, with T-plan steps and a raised walkway leading to the upper floor. Stairs and sloping ground flank the walkway, providing access to the ground floor foyer. The arrangement of glazed modular blocks is asymmetrical, increasing in size on either side of the entrance recess, and there are metal railings above the central roof space. The outer bays feature uninterrupted expanses of brick.

On the southeast elevation, which faces Nethergate, there is a broad expanse of brick with stepped bays towards the eastern corner, each bay containing horizontal band glazing at mid-height. The northeast elevation features a central recess with a full-height, stepped, angular design that includes large windows and a single-leaf door at ground level. Horizontal glazed bands extend to the left and right of this recess. The northwest elevation has an oversailing stair and walkway that provide access to a rear door, along with louvred vents.

The building predominantly features fixed single-pane glazing, with louvred glazing in the horizontal sections.

Inside, as observed in 2012, the ground floor foyer and reception area has a diagonally transposed shuttered concrete ceiling supported by square brick columns. A stair leads to the upper foyer, featuring full-height dark-timber bannisters. The first floor foyer has a heavy timber beam and panel ceiling. The Ustinov (Senate) Room, located to the northwest, is diagonally oriented and has high-level glazing that filters natural and artificial light through a banked and slatted timber ceiling. There is a raised podium area in the northern corner, flanked by an Amalfi tapestry, and a long view window to the west. The main hall, which includes a stage to the southeast, has a timber floor and a cantilevered timber-clad sound booth at the rear, flanked by doors leading to the upper foyer. The hall also features extendable, raked seating in wall recesses.