Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/28/123

Address :
Whitla Hall Methodist College 1 Malone Road Belfast BT9 6BY

Townland:
Malone Lower

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
School

Former Use
School

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
147/1 SE

IG Ref:
J3323 7252

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Owner Category

School

Exterior Description And Setting

Functional style red brick double volume hall of 1935 by Alan Hodgson Hope, built as an assembly hall for Methodist College out of funds bequeathed by former school governor, Sir William Whitla. Originally freestanding within open ground, the building now abutted by a post-1950 single-storey structure to the south, whilst to the rear there is an extensive post-1970 two-storey addition. The hall is set on a slight rise, to the west of the original 1860s college building, with a car park set in between both, with largely mid to later 20th century buildings forming the backdrop to the south. The original building comprises a large double volume hall in a simple pitched roofed gable-ended structure. Toilet accommodation and linking corridors flank either side. To the rear west side is the extensive two-storey post-1970 addition (the Music Department). The footprints of both the original structure and the extension are each approximately rectangular and symmetrical. The extension is wider than the hall creating a combined ‘T’-shaped footprint. Post-1950s structures abut the south façade partially obscuring clear views. The roof to the main hall is gabled and pitched with a blue/black natural slate covering. The ridge tiles appear to be matching fire clay. The gables are raised to create a parapet that has a stone capping, and the skews are returned some way along the long facades creating ‘parapet’ ends. To the centre of the ridge is a tall timber fleche ventilator. The eaves are overhanging. The rainwater goods to the original section were originally cast-iron, but some portions have been replaced in uPVC. All other areas are flat-roofed with overhanging eaves. The rainwater goods to these areas are uPVC. The walls are faced with a rustic wire-cut red facing brick, with the original sections resting on a shallow plinth. The walls of the extension are faced with quite closely matched brick. Window openings are all plain and flat-headed. Their frames, as well as the main entrance doors have been entirely replaced in what appears to be powder-coated aluminium. Other external doors are plain painted timber with plain vision panels. Flanking either side of the entrance are low cast in-situ concrete planters. The front entrance has level access, however, due to internal level changes and falls in external ground level, all other entrance doors have short flights of concrete steps. These are flanked with low rendered walls with ‘cow-nosed’ ends. Hall East The east entrance front is symmetrical; centred on the gable of the main hall a flat roofed, part-two, part-single storey breakfront that incorporates an open colonnaded porch with rooms over; either side this is flanked with small single-storey ancillary rooms. The colonnade is flanked with in-situ concrete planters. To the upper floor of the breakfront there are three flat-headed shallow window openings to the front and one each to the sides. The small ancillary rooms each have one front window opening; that to the right side also has one side window while that to the left has a door opening to the side. Well set back on either side is the east face of the flanking corridors and toilet blocks; each has a window to the east face. The building is entered through an open colonnaded porch that is centrally located on the symmetrical, two-storey, flat-roofed breakfront east façade. Within the porch are three paired entrance doors, and, to the upper level, are small ‘clerestory’ windows. Flanking the colonnade are in-situ concrete planters. Hall North The north façade comprises mainly of the side of the main hall. Either end of the hall is flanked with plain brick panels that rise above the eaves forming a parapet; the upper central portions of the long facade of the hall is articulated with plain brick pilasters and the resultant recesses each contain tall, paired windows (6 pairs). To the far left side is the north face of the entrance breakfront. The ground floor of the middle section advances forward with two, flat-roofed, single-storey projections. The first is a full-length corridor; on the left side of the corridor is added a further projection (toilet block); this has two windows to the north face and one to the west To the immediate right of the toilet block and the far right side of the corridor there are projecting entrance bays; these contain recessed paired doors; between the doors there are three window openings. A raised level platform extends between the doors; at either end there is a short flight of steps with flanking ‘cow-nose’ ended walls. A retaining wall extends between the stairs. Hall West All but the upper section of the western gable of the hall is obscured by the music department extension. Music Department East This two-storey extension attaches to and is wider than the west face of the hall. Eastern faces of the extension project either side of the hall. The southern side of the east face of the extension is obscured by later (non-related) buildings. The northern side of the east face has a grouping of four tall window openings to the left side with four squat window openings below; openings are separated with rendered mullions. Music Department North To the left side of the north face of the extension there are four tall window openings to ground and first floors, all as before. To the right side there are two steps; the first has a door to the left and a single window to the right with two windows to the first floor. The second step is the blank face of a breakfront to the west face. Music Department West The west face of the extension is symmetrical; there is a double breakfront. The exposed faces at either side of the west facade are formed with plain brick panels (a later door has been added to the ground floor of the left side). The exposed faces at either side of the first breakfront are plain brick panels. The second breakfront forms the centre of the façade; to the centre there is a glazed two-storey entrance screen. To the left side there are two window openings, a door (possibly added later) and a further window while to first floor there are four window openings. To the right side there are four window openings to ground floor and four to first floor. The ground floor windows are shorter that those at first floor; all are evenly spaced. Music Department South To the far right side there is a door; approach to the door is sheltered with a later canopy that is supported on circular steel columns. To the right side of the north face of the extension there are four tall window openings to first floor with a door to the right side; a wheelchair ramp rises to the door. To the left side there are two steps which are the cheeks of the breakfronts; the first has a two window openings to ground and first floors, the second step is blank. Hall South Most of the left side of the southern façade of the main hall is obscured with later un-related, single storey buildings. The original upper level is exposed; this matches the north face; either end of the upper level is flanked with plain brick panels that rise above the eaves forming a parapet; the upper central portions of the long facade of the hall is articulated with plain brick pilasters and the resultant recesses each contain tall, paired windows (6 pairs). The exposed right side is a mirror of the equivalent section of the north face. This has the side of the breakfront to the right and plain brick panel that rises to a parapet to the left side. Within the panel at first floor there is a later added fire escape exit with paired doors while at ground floor there is a single window. A dogleg steel fire escape stair with curved landing attaches to the brick panel. Setting The hall is set within the middle of the Methodist College campus. To the east is the original 1860s college building; a metalled car park separates the two. The west side is closely by mainly late 20th century buildings. Gardens to the northern side slope gently down to railings that guard the College Gardens boundary. Abutting the northern face is a later 20th century building. Walls brick Roof natural slate covering Windows aluminium RWG cast iron/uPVC

Architects

Hodgson Hope, Alan

Historical Information

This hall, part of the Methodist College campus, was built in 1934-35 and officially opened by Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Lord Craigavon in, December of the latter year. The design, which was chosen by competition, was the work Liverpudlian architect Alan Hodgson Hope (1909-65), who was to spend the rest of his career on the island of Ireland, working on many buildings around Dublin in particular. The hall was built by bequest of Sir William Whitla (1851-1933), the eminent physician, QUB academic and MP for that university, who had also served for 27 years as a governor of Methodist College. In his will he bequeathed £10,000 specifically for the building of a hall for the school. The final cost of construction amounted to £10,400. The building was originally freestanding, with a larger area of open ground to all sides. By at least 1959 large scale building / rebuilding on the southern side of the school grounds had resulted in the closing in of the space to this side of the hall, with structures abutting the south face of the building itself. At some point after c.1970 the large music department extension was added to the west end. In January 2011 a fire caused extensive damage to the interior. It was quickly restored, however, re-opening in October of the same year. References- Primary sources 1 OSNI OS10-1-61-13-4 OS town plan of Belfast, 1937 2 OSNI OS11-147-1-1 OS town plan of Belfast, 1958-59 3 OSNI OS13-147-1SE-2 OS town plan of Belfast, 1970 Secondary sources- websites 1 Irish Architectural Archive http://www.dia.ie/architects/view/2652/HOPE-ALANHODGSON (Accessed 2011.12.15) 2 http://www.methody.org/News/News-Team/Features.aspx (Accessed 2011.12.15)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A large double volume hall in a simple pitched roofed gable-ended structure with single storey ancillary spaces. This school hall is an example of 1930s architecture demonstrating a functional modernism style. Although unusual in the context of Northern Ireland, its interest has been adversely affected by the loss of historic fabric in the fire of 2011 and the changes to the plan and detailing resulting both from the Music department extension and the more recent renovation and remodelling.

General Comments

Date of Survey

26 November 2011