2 Prince Albert Road, Glasgow

Circa 1865, 2 Prince Albert Road is a two-storey Italianate villa of square plan, with attics and a basement, aligned along its east-facing elevation and its main southern elevation. A low addition to the north and a studio wing were likely added around 1894, probably by David MacSkimming. The villa is constructed of droved ashlar, with a polished base course to the ground floor cills. All margins and quoins are also polished.

The south elevation has a three-bay arrangement. The outer bays at ground floor feature canted windows with cornices and plain parapets. The central bay has a single sash window with pilastered reveals. All first-floor windows are round-arched within recessed rectangular panels. Above the bay windows are groups of three windows with pilastered reveals and mullions supporting a moulded archivolt, with a single window in the centre bay, similarly detailed. The windows are sash windows with plate glass glazing. A continuous band course runs above the ground floor, with moulded strings at the cills; another band course is above the first floor. The eaves deeply project and sweep upwards. There are shallow gabled dormer-heads, with modern glazing and decorative barge-boards breaking the wallhead. The building has moulded, deep apron panels.

The east elevation also has a three-bay arrangement, featuring a projecting single-storey addition with a piended roof to the north and a five-light canted bay window facing east. Steps, with an ashlar balustrade and piers, lead to a projecting single-storey porch. The steps are supported by a cast-iron Corinthian column and decorative brackets, which hold a later timber-roofed canopy. A round-headed, pilastered doorpiece frames a double-leaf panelled door with a glazed fanlight. To the left of the porch is a round-headed window at ground level, with a corbelled canted oriel above. Other windows and dormers match those on the south elevation. The building has corniced stacks and a piended slate roof.

The north wing is a single-storey structure with a basement. It has five plate glass windows facing east on the raised ground floor, and a deeply recessed, lintelled basement opening.

Inside, the villa features classical detailing, including cast-iron stair balusters and a stair window with three leaded lights above a low relief roundel. There is good ceiling plasterwork in the ground floor rooms and hall. Front rooms are linked by wooden panelled and pedimented screens.

The property is enclosed by square ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps, and a low droved ashlar wall with polished coping. The group value context is that this is a notable example of Italianate villa architecture.