Landmark halls of residence in St Andrews set for major overhaul

Major repairs have been outlined for one of the most significant post war buildings in Scotland, which is used by students in St Andrews.

The work planned for the halls of residence at Andrew Melville Hall, North Haugh in St Andrews, will be done over three summers from 2023 to 2026 if Fife Council gives the green light.

The University of St Andrews Estates has submitted an application for listed building consent to carry out the internal and external alterations.

The Category A listed modernist building was designed by renowned architect James Stirling. It is recognised as one of the most significant post war buildings in Scotland, both as a key formative work for the architect and in its design and use of materials.

Andrew Melville Hall, St Andrews University

The university plans to carry out essential repairs over a phased period.

It wants to repair the flat roof to the second floor entrance over the entrance concourse, and the concrete panels to all major elevations. Existing windows, which are replacements of the originals, are also at the end of their life and will be replaced with ones which look the same, but offer better thermal and weather protection.

The concrete work will repair and replicate the original concrete panel design after years of exposure have led the reinforcement bars to corrode.

A supporting statement said: “The flat roof over the concourse has been leaking for a considerable period of time, caused in part by long-term exposure, but also by the design, which only has a limited number of small bore rainwater to outlets release the water to ground.”