Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/51/012

Address :
5 Waterloo Park Belfast Co. Antrim BT15 5HU

Townland:
Low Wood

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
07/04/1994 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
House

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-1

IG Ref:
J3323 7870

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Detached five-bay two-storey painted brick house on rectangular plan, constructed in a Modern-style in 1934 to the designs of Robert Sharp Hill and having attached garage to north. Single-storey extension to east and later roof-top extension. Located on a sloping site at the corner of Waterloo Park and Waterloo Park North with dwarf red brick wall and hedge boundary to south and east, hedge boundary to north and gardens to east overlooking Belfast Lough. Flat concrete roof having raised parapet with flat concrete coping, stepped parapet to south and west elevation. Lead box gutter discharging through parapet to cast-iron painted hopper and circular downpipe. Pair of smooth rendered chimneys forming south and west walls of second floor roof-top extension. Square-headed openings throughout having painted timber casement windows, unless otherwise stated. Front elevation faces south and comprises of five-bays having curved plan corners to east and west. Set-back second floor roof-top pavilion, single-storey bay extending to west, recessed entrance lobby and first floor forming balcony terrace with garage to east at lower level. Flat leaded roof on curved plan supported on circular metal posts on timber sheeted curved wall with flat coping to first floor balcony. Flat roof to east extension. Red brick painted walling with raised smooth rendered band to south-west bay and forming header to garage. Flight of concrete steps leading to east extension. Square-headed corner windows to ground and first floor at recessed porch and balcony and to east of first floor. Five-panelled glazed entrance door with horizontal panes having side-lights and fan-light over, all with obscure glazing, approached by tiled entrance lobby forming single step. '5' in silver lettering at first floor level above entrance door. Extension to east has corner window and door. Side elevation to east is three-bay two-storey with triangular oriel window at first floor. Fixed window and sliding door to second floor roof pavilion. Single-storey ground-floor extension has corner window to south. Rear elevation to north is three-bay two-storey. Flat roof with raised parapet to attached garage to west side. Corner window to west at first floor. Fixed window and sliding entrance door to second floor roof pavilion. Window to east extension. Five terracotta tiled steps leading to raised terrace adjacent to south elevation of garage. Side elevation to west is two-bay two-storey with narrowly set back first floor and attached garage extending to north. Projecting single-storey bay to south with curved ends and full-width glazing. Setting: Located at the corner of Waterloo Park and Waterloo Park North having red brick dwarf wall and hedge boundary to south, east and west. Hedge boundary to north and gardens to east. Pairs of red-brick piers on square plan with rendered pyramidal coping having decorative metal gate in a geometric pattern forming entrances to south and west. Concrete pathway leading to entrance door to south and driveway adjacent to attached garage to west. Roof: Flat concrete roof RWG: Cast-iron/ lead Walls: Painted brick Windows: Timber casement

Architects

Sharpe Hill, Robert

Historical Information

No. 5 Waterloo Park, a two-storey modernist house located at the corner of Waterloo Park North, was constructed in 1934. The house was built as part of the suburban development of the townlands of Low Wood and Green Castle which took place during the interwar period. The building was constructed on land leased by Robert McIntyre, a local builder who resided at 721 Antrim Road and owned all the houses that were constructed on Waterloo Park and Waterloo Park North. No. 5 Waterloo Park was designed by Robert Sharpe Hill (1879-1961), a local architect who entered into partnership with Eric R. Kennedy between c. 1908 and 1910 before establishing an independent practice. The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that Hill predominantly carried out domestic contracts and, according to the Irish Builder, designed a number of houses on Waterloo Park for McIntyre between 1933 and 1934. Hill designed No. 5 Waterloo Park in a distinctive modernist-style, which contrasts with the Neo-Georgian style which the majority of the other dwellings on the street exhibit. The First Survey Record (1993) described Hill’s design in the following terms: ‘A two-storey white rendered flat-roofed house of modernist design. Notable features include the curved corners to some walls; corner windows; a triangular oriel window; and the retention of original glazing bars to windows’ (DIA; Irish Builder). The general layout of the house has remained unchanged since the 1930s although the current single-storey lounge was added in 2007-2009. The First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) recorded that No. 5 Waterloo Park was valued at £65 upon its completion. The valuer notes that McIntyre leased the property to Archibald Wilson, a director in a local company. Wilson continued to reside at No. 5 Waterloo Park until his death in 1941 at which time his widow took possession of the house (PRONI Wills). By the 1950s No. 5 Waterloo Park was occupied by a Mr. M. Phillips and by the end of the Second General Revaluation (1956-72) the value of the house had risen to £79. No. 5 Waterloo Park was listed in 1994. The NIEA HB Records note that the house underwent an extensive renovation and refurbishment between 2007 and 2009 as a result of roof failure and the presence of rising damp and rot throughout the building. The restoration of the house included the repair of the roof and the construction of the current single-storey flat-roof lounge to the roof terrace, the complete refurbishment of the interior and the installation of new glazing and window frames throughout (NIEA HB Records). No. 5 Waterloo Park, along with No. 736 Antrim Road (HB26/51/011), are excellent examples of modernist domestic architect constructed in Belfast during the interwar period of which there are few surviving examples remaining in Northern Ireland (NIEA HB Records). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/57/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1921) 2. PRONI VAL/3/C/3/3 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936-57) 3. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/5 – Second General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1956-72) 4. Ulster Town Directories (1932-1943) 5. Irish Builder (30 Dec 1933; 30 Jun 1934; 14 Jul 1934; 6 Oct 1934) 6. PRONI Wills Catalogue (10 Feb 1937; 8 Mar 1941) 7. First Survey Record – HB26/51/012 (1993) 8. NIEA Listing File – HB26/51/012 9. NIEA HB Records – HB26/51/012 Online Resources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie/

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance V. Authorship X. Local Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Well proportioned and detailed detached five-bay three-storey painted brick house on rectangular plan, constructed in a Modernist-style in 1934 to the designs of Belfast architect, Robert Sharp Hill. The building is of architectural significance being a comparatively rare example of a dwelling in the Modernist-style, within Northern Ireland. A good example of its type, the building retains many of its original characteristics including a flat roof, white walls on curved planand curved and corner windows. Internally, many of the original finishes survive including the terrazzo flooring, tiles and timber panelling to hallways. Situated on a prominent sloping site at the corner of Waterloo Park and Waterloo Park North, the building retains its original brick boundary walling and makes a positive contribution to the character of the area.

General Comments

Date of Survey

26 September 2014