Latest news with #Selkirk
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Heritage coalition saves Scottish modernist ‘jewel' in fiercely fought auction
A coalition of design and conservation charities has won an auction to buy a threatened modernist building in the Scottish Borders after a fiercely contested bidding battle. The group, headed by the National Trust for Scotland, paid a final hammer price of £279,000 for the Bernat Klein Studio near Selkirk in an online auction on Wednesday morning. The final price of the property, which has lain unused and derelict for more than 20 years, could be in the region of £336,000. The building, regarded by conservators as a jewel of late-modernist British architecture, was designed by the highly regarded architect Peter Womersley in 1972. It was created for the textile designer Bernat Klein, whose clients included Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. The studio was built near Klein's home so he could work on designs, meet clients and display his products. The category A-listed building – Scotland's highest preservation rating – has been on Scotland's at-risk register for more than 20 years because of neglect. Despite its fame and rarity, Savills listed the studio with a guide price of £18,000, but a flurry of bids, both online and by telephone, quickly pushed the price up in increments of £5,000 until it reached more than £270,000. At that stage, it edged up by smaller sums until reaching a final hammer price of £279,000. Savills was reticent about confirming the total price to the coalition but with VAT at 20% and a sales fee of £1,900 (including VAT), that suggests the final cost could reach approximately £336,700. The coalition is liable to pay land and buildings transaction tax, Scotland's version of stamp duty, on the total purchase price and is working out how much that will be. Prof Alison Harley, the chair of trustees for the Bernat Klein Foundation which was set up to preserve and disseminate the textile designer's work, said: 'We are delighted that after many years the future for Klein's studio looks very bright.' The coalition crowdfunded £33,000 in donations and National Trust for Scotland also offered financial backing for the purchase. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has also indicated it would accept a funding application towards the studio's restoration. The coalition estimates it could cost up to £3m to restore the house under the supervision of the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT). Its immediate task is to carry out urgent repairs to stabilise the building, repair its flat roof and assess the condition of the concrete cladding. Dr Samuel Gallacher, the director of SHBT, said: 'The scale of the repair and restoration required at Peter Womersley's Bernat Klein Studio is extensive and will take many months, the skills of specialists and the support of the many people who have an interest in both Peter Womersley and Bernat Klein's work.' The building is in a dilapidated state and surrounded by security fencing in overgrown grounds, with rolls of razor wire running along an elevated walkway and entrance. A burst internal water pipe caused severe damage some years ago and wrangles with Scottish Borders council over a planning application to fit a second internal kitchen and convert the studio into a home added to the delay in maintaining the empty property. Many of the building's painted metal panels are buckled, corroded and stained by water penetration and several windows are shattered and boarded up. The end of one of its horizontal concrete cantilevers has sheared off and graffiti has been sprayed on internal walls. The current owners' decision to put the property up for auction surprised the coalition which was in talks to buy the building privately. Savills said the owners were not willing to be interviewed. Klein and Womersley, who was known locally for driving around in a red E-type Jaguar, were close friends. The architect also designed the Klein family's home, High Sunderland, next door to the studio in Selkirk in the late 1950s. The coalition, which has been supported by Scottish Borders council, plans to reopen the studio as a permanent home for the Bernat Klein Foundation and as a base for exhibitions, workshops and talks on textiles and architecture.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
A-listed former Bernat Klein textile studio sells for £279,000
The dilapidated studio of renowned textile designer Bernat Klein has been sold at auction for £279,000 - more than 15 times its guide price.A consortium of leading Scottish heritage and design organisations was successful in its bid to buy the property - which sits close to the A707 near Selkirk in the Borders - was built for Klein in quickly passed the original guide price of £18,000 before the property was sold at auction by Savills. The concrete and brick structure was designed by Peter Womersley who is considered to be one of the greatest brutalist architects to have worked in of its sale emerged earlier this month and soon afterwards leading Scottish heritage and design organisations joined forces in a bid to buy the building to bring it into public property, which was granted a Category A listing in 2002, has been in a state of decline for more than two who died in 2014, collaborated with major European fashion houses such as Dior to design some of the most beautiful textiles of the 20th studio was built as a workspace for design, weaving and exhibiting lies adjacent to his home, High Sunderland, built by Womersley in 1958 and also a listed building. The Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF), the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) launched the successful coalition bid to save the property from support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund they hope to "create a new venue to inspire creative arts in the Scottish Borders".It has been estimated the full cost of restoration undertaken by specialists could exceed £ the group's first priority is to "secure ownership of the property and prevent further deterioration". They hope to restore the building to be used as a design studio alongside a programme of public complete it is intended the site would become a permanent base in the Borders for the Bernat Klein Foundation whose projects include exhibitions, workshops and studio won a RIBA Design Award and the Edinburgh Architectural Association Centenary Medal in 1973 for its exemplary use and combination of the materials of concrete, brick, steel and glass.
Times
24-07-2025
- Business
- Times
Heritage bodies unite in bid to save award-winning Bernat Klein Studio
Leading Scottish heritage and design organisations have joined forces in an effort to restore one of the country's 'most important 20th-century buildings' after the deteriorating property was put up for auction. The Bernat Klein Foundation, the National Trust for Scotland and Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) have launched a collective effort, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to save the Bernat Klein Studio near Selkirk from ruin and create a new venue to inspire creative arts in the Borders. Designed in 1972 by the modernist architect Peter Womersley for the textile designer Klein, the Category A-listed studio was once the beating heart of the textile industry in the south of the country. The Serbian-born Klein (1922-2014) gained international renown by designing collections there for many famous fashion houses including Chanel and Dior.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Coalition formed to save A-listed brutalist Bernat Klein studio
A coalition has been formed in a bid to save the dilapidated studio of renowned textile designer Bernat Klein in the studio, which sits close to the A707 near Selkirk, was built for him in 1972 and is to go on sale with a guide price of £18, two‑storey concrete and brick structure was designed by Peter Womersley, who is considered to be one of the greatest brutalist architects to have worked in Scottish heritage and design organisations have now joined forces in a bid to restore the building and bring it back into public use. The property, which was granted a category A listing in 2002, has been in a state of decline for more than two is being auctioned by Savills, which describes it as in need of modernisation, with further potential "subject to requisite consents".Klein, who died in 2014, collaborated with major European fashion houses such as Dior to design some of the most beautiful textiles of the 20th studio was built as a workspace for design, weaving and exhibiting lies adjacent to his home, High Sunderland, built by Womersley in 1958 and also a listed building. The Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF), the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) have launched a coalition bid to save the property from support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund they hope to "create a new venue to inspire creative arts in the Scottish Borders".It has been estimated the full cost of restoration undertaken by specialists could exceed £ the group's first priority is to "secure ownership of the property and prevent further deterioration". If their bid is successful, they hope the building could provide a permanent base for the BKF and its exhibitions, workshops and Alison Harley, BKF chair of trustees, said: "We all want the building to be sensitively conserved and restored to be part of Scotland's creative and cultural heritage for future generations."NTS chief executive Philip Long said the property was an "outstanding example in Scotland of 20th Century design heritage" which "must be protected for future generations".Dr Samuel Gallacher, SHBT director, admitted that attempting to buy at auction was a "real unknown".He said any donations and support were important to make sure they had the "best possible chance" of purchasing the building.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
A-listed brutalist studio up for sale at £18,000
The dilapidated studio of renowned textile designer Bernat Klein is to go on sale with a guide price of £18, studio, which nestles beside the A707 near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, was built for Klein in two‑storey concrete and brick structure was designed by Peter Womersley who is considered to be one of the greatest brutalist architects to have worked in the building, which was granted a category A listing in 2002, has been in a state of decline for more than 20 years. Klein, a Serbian-born designer who died in 2014, collaborated with major European fashion houses such as Dior to design some of the most beautiful textiles of the 20th studio was built as a workspace for design, weaving and exhibiting lies adjacent to his home, High Sunderland, built by Womersley in 1958 and also a listed Environment Scotland (HES) describes the studio as a "very fine sculptural late Modernist building designed by Peter Womersley".It says the building was designed to connect harmoniously with its setting on the sloping wooded severe horizontality of the concrete elements succeed in contrasting with the verticals of the trees around it, HES property is being auctioned by Savills, which describes it as in need of modernisation, with further potential, "subject to requisite consents"."It remains a masterpiece of structural elegance integrated into its wooded landscape," Savills other works include Netherdale, the football stadium he designed for Gala Fairydean FC in 1963, the boiler house of the former Dingleton Hospital in Melrose and part of Edinburgh's Western General Hospital.
