Design team sought for Bernat Klein Studio restoration

The appointed team will develop designs for the full restoration of the building.

Dr Samuel Gallacher, director of Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, said: “The Bernat Klein Studio is one of the most significant buildings of its era in Scotland, and this appointment of a design team is the point at which we progress from rescue to restoration.

“Indeed, this is a seminal project for SHBT, a new approach to conserving modernist architecture. We are looking for a team with the skill and imagination to bring a remarkable building back into use, and to do justice to the legacies of both Bernat Klein and Peter Womersley.”

The restoration of the Studio is being led by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland and the Bernat Klein Foundation. The three organisations came together as the Bernat Klein Studio Coalition in July 2025, securing ownership of the Studio at public auction after a high-profile crowdfunding campaign that raised over £33,000 in just over a week, along with the financial backing of the National Trust for Scotland.

The procurement process to select the design team is being supported by The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

Tamsie Thomson, chief executive of RIAS, said: “Following the inspiring, community-led campaign to save the Studio from decades of neglect, this tender represents a call to action for outstanding design teams. RIAS welcomes the opportunity to support the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, the Bernat Klein Foundation and the National Trust for Scotland in bringing forward a high-quality restoration that respects the original architecture while creating an inspiring permanent home for the Bernat Klein Foundation. We eagerly anticipate the visionary concepts this process will bring forward.”

The first phase of the project to restore the Studio is being supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund alongside a range of other funders, including the Architectural Heritage Fund, Pilgrim Trust, Path Fund, William Grant Foundation and Scottish Borders Council.

The Contract Notice is published on Public Contracts Scotland with a submission deadline of noon on Friday 11th September.