28 Victoria Street, Stromness

28 Victoria Street in Stromness is an early 19th century building that was renovated in 1978 by Kate Heron with Levitt Bernstein Associates. This two-storey, 11-bay rectangular-plan former warehouse has been converted into a gallery and features a forestair at each gabled end, positioned to the south of a large rectangular quay behind Victoria Street. The exterior is constructed of pointed roughly coursed rubble, with some flagstone cills and lintels.

On the north (principal) elevation, the bays are grouped in a 7-4 arrangement. The slightly advanced four-bay group to the right (west) includes a modern glazed two-leaf door at the ground level on the outer left, with a small window above it on the first floor. To the right of the center, there is a timber panelled door with a narrow two-light fanlight at ground level, flanked by windows in each bay, and a small window above on the first floor. The seven-bay group to the left (east) features a deep-set boarded door at ground level in the center, with a window above it on the first floor. There is also a window at ground level in the bay to the right, a first-floor window in the penultimate right bay, and a large window that breaks the eaves in the outer right bay. Additionally, there is a window at ground level in the outer left bay and a deep-set door at ground level in the penultimate left bay, with windows at each floor in the outer left bay.

The west (side) elevation has a concrete forestair with a steel handrail leading to a glazed door, which is offset to the right at the first floor, and a gablehead stack above. The east (seaward) elevation also features a concrete forestair with a steel handrail leading to a glazed door, offset to the left at the first floor, with a boarded door beneath the stair.

The building predominantly has modern fixed single-pane timber-framed windows. The roof is made of old Orkney grey slate with a stone ridge, and there is a corniced rubble gablehead stack on the west side, along with thackstanes and cast-iron rainwater goods.

Inside, the building has been re-fitted as a gallery on both floors, featuring two rectangular-plan galleries at ground level with terracotta tiles on the floor, painted exposed joists, and a timber staircase with plain timber banisters and handrail. The first floor has a single gallery that runs the entire length of the building, with perspex display cases inserted into some half-partition walls and wall projections.

The quay is made of Caithness flagstones and features stone steps leading to the northern boundary.