Wednesday August 19th 2026
The Bernat Klein Studio, Selkirk
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Action has been approved to protect an iconic Scottish Borders building after “two decades of neglect and vandalism”.
A consortium of heritage and design organisations received the keys for the Bernat Klein studio near Selkirk last year after securing it at auction.
Full restoration of the building originally designed by brutalist architect Peter Womersely is expected to cost more than £3m.
The Bernat Klein Studio Coalition – made up of the Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF), the National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust – was set up to save the building from ruin.
Plans for the first stage of stabilisation work was submitted to Scottish Borders Council (SBC) last month.
The work will aim to secure the property, which has been on the Buildings at Risk Register since 2002 and is in a severely dilapidated state.
Once completed, the coalition plans to return building to its original use as a design studio.
It will also provide a permanent base in the Borders for the BKF and its exhibitions, workshops and talks.
In his report approving the application, SBC assistant planning officer Alla Hassan, states: “The council’s Heritage and Design Officer has reviewed the proposals and strongly supports the works, noting that they are reversible in nature and will allow essential investigative works to be undertaken while ensuring that the building is sufficiently stabilised and protected from further deterioration.”
A supporting statement to SBC seeking listed building consent outlines the reasons for the stabilisation and investigation work.
It states: “The Studio is in significant disrepair following two decades of neglect and vandalism.
“The building has begun to suffer from loss of fabric, most notably the fall of one of the projecting concrete nibs at first floor level on the southwest corner.
“It is imperative that that both the significance and the technical functioning of the Studio are fully understood before designs for the restoration are developed.
“This will allow informed design and repair decisions to be made that will ensure the building’s significance is protected and enhanced, and not diminished.”
Works are earmarked to reduce the risk of unauthorised entry, for example, by improving and replacing existing temporary boarding to damaged windows and introducing timber framing around sliding windows.
The aim is to reduce the risk of further deterioration to damp affected fabric, for example, by temporarily covering and altering upper roof pitches to minimise ingress.
The plan also involves removing fittings, fixtures and finishes that have been identified as unoriginal, to allow underlying fabric to be exposed and assessed, for example, stripping out boilers, radiators and kitchen and bathroom fittings and linings.
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