Basic Site Details

Name: Eagle Buildings
City or county: Dundee
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: More advertising than architecture, Building News carried the following description:

EAGLE BUILDINGS DUNDEE.
A valuable addition has been made to Dendee’s many fine examples of commercial architecture and Messrs Currie and Company Limited are to be congratulated on the erection that is a worthy vis-a-vis of the Customs House. Cement is a big "line" in their trade, and it has been growing since long before they supplied the cement for the old and new Tay Bridge piers and Dundee Railway Tunnel. The Eagle Buildings are cement faced. Pillars, cornices, balustrading, massive vases, everything is of Portland cement even to the "carved" little eagle surmounting the front entrance - which is not carved at all but is cast and gilded.

The internal economy is a credit to the architects. The whole of the basement has been excavated and substantial pillars of ferro-concrete put in, which, are more than equal to bear up the floors and any number of tons of cement, and other heavy merchandise. Dryness is essential, and accommodation has been made for lorries to back right into the building for loading and unloading. Heavy doors, which can be moved with a finger's pressure, close the entrance to this inside wharf. Substantial concrete flooring has been put down, and concrete forms the support for the flooring of the suite of offices above, which also have been reconstructed and added to.

Messrs Currie's large and exceptionally well-lighted showroom cannot help but be remarked by the passer-by, and the, maxim that ‘light is health’ and good business to boot has been the guiding principle. It is safe to say that there are very few warehouses and offices in Dundee so well lighted as those in Eagle Buildings. The rooms are large and very lofty; the woodwork through- out is of rich mahogany; substantial and, artistic overmantels surround patent tilting fire grates which are marvels in efficiency. Daylight is a first-rate "sales assistant," and Messrs Currie well recognise this. Even if one does not want to buy Portland cement, paving stones, crushed granite, drain-pipes, slates, enamelled bricks, etc., it is a pleasure to walk round the showrooms, because everything is so brightly-lighted. The advantages of establishments like Messrs. Currie's is that architects can go and see things fixed up as they would be in the erected building, and so save a lot of trouble afterwards.

The contractors for the work of reconstruction were as follows: Messrs. H. and F; Thomson, architects, Dundee; Nicholds and Reynolds Ltd, engineers, Westminster, SW; the Clyde Structural Iron Co Ltd, Glasgow; Jas Binney and Co, builders, Dundee; John Scott and Son, joiners, Dundee; Alex McRichie, plasterers, Dundee; D. Bremner, plumber, Dundee; Alex, Hogg and Sons, slaters, Broughty Ferry; Joseph Nicholson, painter, Dundee; and Maxwells (Dundee) Ltd, electricians, Dundee; Peter C Barron, clerk of works

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Showroom  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 11910 Opened 

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 3Frank Drummond Thomson  1910  
Item 2 of 3H & F Thomson  1910  
Item 3 of 3Henry ('Harry') Thomson  1910  

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Currie and Company Limitedbuilding trade merchants

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Building News11 November 1910  p681 with photograph