Mary Aikenhead House

Detached C-plan multiple-bay four-storey social housing apartment building, built c.1940, having curved corners with partly recessed balconies to north-west, north-east and south-east corners, projecting balconies to front (north) elevation of north block, and front (south) elevation of south block. Deck access and stair towers to courtyard elevations. Retail units to centre ground floor of front elevation of north block. Flat roofs with projecting eaves and rendered chimneystacks. Raised rendered parapets to front and rear of centre of front, west and rear blocks. Red brick walls laid in Flemish bond to front elevations with rendered string courses and channelled render to third floor. Roughcast rendered walls to courtyard elevations, roughcast rendered parapet walls to access decks. Painted concrete walls to stair towers. Square-headed window openings with replacement uPVC windows. Square-headed door openings to rear decks having part-glazed timber doors. Integral carriage opening to centre of west block, now boarded-up with metal panels. Some replacement uPVC doors. Set back from street, boundary having metal railings on masonry plinth with granite capping. Concrete steps to front from footpath to retail units at raised ground floor level. Hard surfacing to central courtyard accommodating car parking and playground. Associated L-plan block to east side of Basin Street Lower.

An elegant early social housing scheme designed by Herbert George Simms. Its form responds well to its urban site. Balconies provide articulation to the front elevations which breaks down the scale of the large block. It is an excellent example of early modernist architecture employing materials historically used in the area. H.G. Simms was a housing architect with Dublin Corporation from 1932 to 1948. During his time in office, Simms was responsible for the design of some 17,000 new homes. His designs were strongly influenced by new apartment blocks by de Klerk in Amsterdam and J.P. Oud in Rotterdam.