One of Scotland’s most respected architects, William Adam, is to be commemorated by Dundee City Council which will name two streets in a housing development after him.
William Adam designed the former “Pillars” Town House in the city centre, which was demolished to make way for the city square in 1932.
The two new streets, Adam Drive and Adam Crescent, lie immediately to the west of St Martin Crescent, part of the new housing development bounded by Strathmartine Road and Sidlaw Avenue to the north of St Mary’s.
Dundee city archivist Iain Flett suggested to the city development committee that Adam was a suitable candidate for the new development’s street names and the committee members approved his proposal.
Mr Flett explained: “The late and much missed Professor Charles McKean, who did so much to show Dundonians the richness of their architectural culture round them said of Adam: ‘When he actually designed and built Dundee’s Town House, he was a radical innovator,’ so he is appropriate to be commemorated.”
Professor McKean’s synopsis of the architect continues: “Adam’s town house was known as The Pillars because of its arcading and the Lord Provost’s balcony in City Square is a nod to that arcading.
“There is a model of The Pillars outside the Pillars Bar in Crichton Street as well as a commemorative clock outside the Hoppo Hostel at Gardyne’s Land.
“There is now a plaque on the surface of City Square commemorating The Pillars, as well as the bronze relief plaque, originally on the City Square underground stairway, which has now been relocated to the side of 21 City Square.”
Dundee Town House was built in Classical style by Adam between 1732 and 1734. The building featured a steeple more than 40m high. At ground level, arcades enclosing shops gave it the local name The Pillars.
The council and guildry chambers were on the first floor with the jail above.
The town house was repaired after a fire in 1771, extended to the rear in 1872 but finally and ingloriously demolished in 1932.