A carefully stepped brick hall by Metzstein and MacMillan fits a major university gathering space into a constrained city-campus site.
Quick facts
- Date
- Built 1975–1977
- Architect / designer
- Isi Metzstein and Andy MacMillan of Gillespie, Kidd and Coia
- Type
- Late-modern university assembly hall in yellow brick with stepped modular form
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB52165)
- OS grid reference
- NO 39879 29913
Architecture and continuing use
Broad yellow-brick planes, angular glazing and dark timber infill build a low, asymmetrical composition around foyers and the main hall. The plan steps in response to surrounding campus routes rather than presenting one grand symmetrical front.
Its story
The University commissioned Gillespie, Kidd and Coia in the mid-1970s. Bonar Hall opened as an assembly and events building and continues to support graduation-related activity, conferences and university gatherings.
Why it is included
It extends the directory beyond traditional stone monuments and represents an important Scottish modernist practice working at university scale.
What to notice
- Stepped brick masses responding to the restricted site.
- Angular strips of glazing set into broad solid walls.
- The sequence from low entrance to foyer and main hall.
Reading the surroundings
Access depends on the event or university activity taking place. The University publishes location and accessibility information; check the specific event before visiting.
Timeline
- Built 1975–1977 The University commissioned Gillespie, Kidd and Coia in the mid-1970s.
- Present University of Dundee assembly, graduation, conference, event and teaching venue.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Public access is event-led, and not every part of the building can be visited outside a scheduled activity.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Bonar Hall, LB52165 — Designation category, mapped location, construction phases, fabric, authorship and architectural interest.
- University of Dundee: Bonar Hall — Current university location, address, access information and building use.
- University of Dundee: events at Bonar Hall — Contemporary evidence of the hall’s continuing large-event function.
Location
OS grid reference NO 39879 29913 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies a mapped National Grid Reference and a current official operator, responsible public body or institutional source confirms the Place relationship and present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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