Dyson Perrins Laboratory - Central Administration - University of ...

something of a southern perimeter to the historic Science Area. 1 and 2 South Parks Road arethe only extant reminders of the past residential character of the southern side of the road,which has since been occupied by the some of the more-starkly modern elements of theScience Area, such as the Chemistry Research Laboratory and Experimental Psychology.The Dyson Perrins Laboratory is not the defining factor in the character of South Parks Road,but stands as an important member of the group of early-twentieth-century science-relatedbuildings on the northern side South Parks Road. Amongst this group, the Sir William DunnSchool of Pathology (1925-27) is the more accomplished example of red brick on an earlyeighteenth-century theme. 25 These buildings, along with the more-modern examples ofscience buildings, highlight the development and long history of science in this area.Figure 11. The Dyson Perrins Laboratory looking north-westwards from outside theChemistry Research Laboratory3.2 Architectural SignificanceArchitecturally, the exterior of the Dyson Perrins Laboratory displays the early-twentiethcenturydecision to utilise classical styles in modern buildings. There are hints of the wartimeausterity that formed the context of the first phase of construction in the bare embellishmentsof the exterior: ‘[Waterhouse’s] first scheme had a giant order of attached columns, but theexecuted building, in brick and stone, is rather nondescript.’ 26 Whilst relatively plain, the25 Kay, D., ‘Architecture’ in Harrison, B., (ed.), The History of the University of Oxford, Volume VIII: TheTwentieth Century (Oxford, 1994) 499-518.26 Howell, P., ‘Oxford Architecture, 1800-1914’ in Brock, M.G., and Curthoys, M.C., The History of theUniversity of Oxford: Volume VII: Nineteenth-Century Oxford, Part 2 (Oxford, 2000) 757.The Dyson Perrins Laboratory, Oxford 29Conservation Plan, May 2012