Dell Farquharson Communcity Centre, 7 Nethertown Broad Street, Dunfermline

Dell Farquharson Community Centre, 7 Nethertown Broad Street, Dunfermline

A recreational institute designed by James Lindsay for Carnegie Dunfermline Trust between 1913 and 1918. The building is constructed into sloping ground and adopts a complex asymmetrical plan combining single-storey, single-storey-with-attic, and two-storey sections. The design draws on Free Renaissance principles, characterised by pilastered mullioned and transomed windows, breaking-eaves dormer-heads with shouldered pediment-like gables, and an overall composition of considerable architectural richness.

The external walls are of coursed stugged sandstone with droved ashlar dressings. A base course and ground floor cill band runs across the principal north wraparound elevation; a band course appears above ground floor windows on the east elevation; eaves cornices feature throughout. Openings are finished with chamfered reveals.

The principal north elevation comprises seven bays. To the left stands a three-bay single-storey section. The entrance, set forward slightly to the right, is defined by a moulded segmental-headed architrave and stepped corniced parapet. Flanking pilasters support a broken-bed segmental pediment carved with lions' heads and fruit and mounted on consoles. Steps lead up to a two-leaf panelled and part-glazed timber door with fanlight, set back within a short lobby. A pair of nine-light mullioned and transomed breaking-eaves windows occupies the left section, each slightly projecting within an ashlar surround and topped by a shouldered pediment-like gable with flanking pilasters. Narrow flanking outer windows feature corniced panels at their heads. A stepped corniced parapet extends leftward from the entrance and continues as a frieze across the ground floor windows to the right, where a three-bay single-storey-and-attic section rises. This section has mullioned and transomed sexpartite windows, each slightly projecting within an ashlar surround and flanked by pilasters. Above each bay is a mullioned bipartite breaking-eaves dormer; the central dormer has a curved segmental head, while those flanking are piended. A single projecting bay to the outer right contains an entrance with deep corniced lintel and a small adjacent window.

The south elevation displays six bays. Five bays to the left project slightly forward; the second and third bays project further. Ground floor windows are mullioned bipartites; above these, the central and flanking outer bays have mullioned and transomed sexpartite windows. Intervening positions contain tall twelve-light mullioned and transomed breaking-eaves windows, each recessed within flanking pilasters and capped by a shouldered pediment-like gable. To the outer right stands a gambrel-roofed section set back from the main plane, featuring a triple window arrangement at ground floor linked vertically by a panel to a centred window above.

The east elevation is irregular in fenestration, applied to a two-storey six-bay section that projects forward to the left. The upper floor contains three mullioned bipartites to the right; the outermost breaks the eaves line. Ground floor fenestration is varied, comprising narrow windows and mullioned bipartites, except for a mullioned and transomed quadripartite to the outer right. A mullioned breaking-eaves tripartite appears on the right return. Set back to the right is a shouldered gable end topped by a nine-light mullioned and transomed window with raised panel at its head, surmounted by an open-bed segmental pediment.

The west elevation has a two-bay section to the left with an entrance finished in a moulded architrave bearing a broken dentilled cornice surmounted by a parapet-like panel; a mullioned tripartite window rises above to the left. A lower section adjoins to the right, containing a pair of mullioned bipartites on the left and a flat-headed breaking-eaves mullioned tripartite on the right. An angled bay to the outer right holds a mullioned bipartite and small window beneath. A mullioned quadripartite appears on the right return. Set back to the right is a matching shouldered gable end with nine-light mullioned and transomed window with raised panel at head and open-bed segmental pediment above.

The roofs are of graded grey slate (some piended) with red ridge tiles. Corniced ashlar chimney stacks with band courses flank the three-bay single-storey-and-attic section on the north side; narrow wallhead stacks rise from the east and at the junction of two sections on the south; most cans have been lost, though a modern brick flue has been added to the east of the building's centre. Original cast-iron rainwater goods with decorative hoppers survive.

Internally, the building retains its original main staircase featuring a cast-iron balustrade incorporating Art Nouveau motifs. The main hall is spanned by segmental-arched trusses to its ceiling and opens partially to the roof above.

UPVC replacement windows have been installed throughout the building.