SCHOOL OF ART

Details

SF 08 SE 12/31 5104

MOSELEY ROAD Moseley B12 No. 500 (School of Art)

(Formerly listed as The Highgate School Annexe)

II*

Built as the first municipal branch School of Art in 1899. A fine "Wrenaissance" design by W H Bidlake with the typical combination of Birmingham Arts and Crafts detailing and quality materials. Compact 2 storey and semi-basement front block of red brick with Bath stone dressings and orders. Slightly lower rear studio wing. Hipped graded slate roof, slightly swept out to the eaves. Projecting from the centre of the 7 bay elevation to the ball finialed piers and railings of the area, is a monumental 2 storey ashlar portico-porch. Fluted Roman Doric columns contained by piers of the same order are set on a bowed graded flight of steps leading up and through a massive spaced voussoir arch to the double glazed panelled doors - a powerful tunnel like approach. Above the porch entablature rises an imposing aedicule of coupled Doric columns backed by pilasters with deep sections of entablature to the massive almost semi-circular open pediment (scrolled antae, caisson panelled soffit). The order is returned on string course as an engaged colonnade across the flanking bays of the first floor but set in antis to the brick quoin pilasters. Ashlar frieze and bracketed eaves cornice, capped by paterae studded gutter. The first floor of the porch contains an ashlar pilastered bay window, its entablature breaking forward for the return sections of entablature beneath the aedicule pediment. The intercolomniations of the flanking bays are fully glazed with leaded casements, caveto sills and deep plain aprons the column drums faceted below sill level as those of porch. In contract the ground floor windows are narrow, single and 2-light transomed casements in ashlar pilaster frames with entablatures, those next to the porched with carved stone wreaths in panels replacing top lights. Semi-circular spaced voussoir arches to basement windows reflecting the inner arch of the porch. Fine Arts and Crafts leadwork to rainwater goods and wrought iron work to window latches. Three bay return to front block, similar but simplified detailing with pilasters to first floor. Recessed link with simple round headed leaded windows, to rear studio wing. The latter has 5 bays divided by shallow chamfered brick piers. Large leaded ground floor windows of simplified Norman Shaw type. Blind rendered panels to first floor. Soffit eaves on large modillion brackets between the terminal piers which are carried up to contain the slate mansard roof with studio lights. The main entrance leads in to a square 3 bay pilastered hall. The opposite end is open to a double staircase with Doric columns flanking the central descending flight, through an archway, to the lower ground floor. The hall has a central band of stone flagged paving, returned to feet of staircases, flanked by herringbone brick paving. The double stairs rise to a mezzanine landing which returns with balustrade across the archway to the lower ground floor. At this level similar Doric columns to those in hall rise to support quadripartite vaulting over the stairwell and the landing. This subtle and restrained Baroque spatial development leads on through the central axis to corridors on both lower ground and mezzanine floors. That on lower level lit by doorway at end, whilst the upper corridor has 2 circular skylights. Interior otherwise simple painted brickwork for functional studios use. Internal corridors have large semi- circular arched leaded windows into studios and exhibition halls.



Listing NGR: SP0789184370

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

217426

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry