Robinson College, Cambridge, listed

by with No Comment ChurchFlatsSchoolUK

Robinson College by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia – the Glasgow architects’ final major work, from 1977-81 – has just been recognised with Grade II* listing.

The building is clad with 1.4 million handmade bricks, and as with St Bride’s church, the brick is used in different ways to create a variety of colour and texture. The use of brick also links the building to older, Tudor structures nearby, such as St. John’s.  

Brick is also used in other modern buildings such as Hillingdon civic centre (1979).

The college includes a chapel, featuring stained glass by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens , who also worked on Coventry Cathedral and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Robinson College, Cambridge, by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
Duncanrig high school by Basil Spence

Duncanrig Secondary School by Sir Basil Spence

by with No Comment School

The first school built in EK.

“Careful consideration was given to colours, textures and light both inside and outside of the school. Each of the two-storey classroom blocks originally had a sun terrace while the internal wall of the foyer was covered with a colourful mural by William Crosbie representing the history of the Clyde.”

Boys and girls were kept apart for some activities – there were two gymnasia, separate playgrounds, cloakrooms and even entrances. The girl’s entrance was timber clad with flower boxes, while the boy’s entrance was given a more robust finish of stone and rubble.

The building was demolished in 2007.
[Basil Spence archive]

Duncanrig high school by Basil Spence

Duncanrig secondary school interior, 1956