PA MediaA heritage and design consortium has taken the keys to the A-listed studio of a designer who created fabrics for Dior and Chanel, ahead of a major restoration project.
Described as a modernist gem, the studio in the Scottish Borders was conceived in 1972 by renowned architect Peter Womersley for designer Bernat Klein but has fallen into a severely dilapidated state.
In July, a coalition comprising the Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF), the National Trust for Scotland, and the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust secured the building at auction for £284,240.
They have now formally taken possession of the property and will begin an urgent repair project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with full restoration costs provisionally estimated at between £2.5 million and £3.0 million.
Bernat Klein (1922-2014) based his textile manufacturing business in the Scottish Borders and became internationally renowned, creating fabrics for fashion houses including Dior, Chanel and Balenciaga.
PA MediaOnce the restoration project is finished, the plan is for the building to return to its original use as a design studio which it will also be possible to visit, providing a permanent base in the Scottish Borders for the Bernat Klein Foundation.
Professor Alison Harley, chair of trustees, Bernat Klein Foundation, said: “These are exciting times for the Bernat Klein Foundation and our supporters.
“The coalition has worked long and hard to buy and protect the Klein Studio.
“Our new partnership will be focusing on the entwined legacies of Bernat Klein and Peter Womersley and this unique opportunity for the creative industries.
“In this next important stage of the project, the BKF will continue to support new creative output through its public programme inspired by Klein’s creative and cultural legacy.”
Philip Long, chief executive, National Trust for Scotland, said that the trust, alongside many others in the coalition, has been working behind the scenes for several years to save this “outstanding building”.
He said: “The modernist creation is so important, both for its architectural design and the rich heritage it represents as part of Scotland’s world-renowned creativity in textiles, and we are proud to support its restoration to safeguard its future.
“Through our partnership, we can be confident that this significant building, its stories and its place within Scotland’s heritage, will be protected for generations to come.”
The design of the studio, near Selkirk, was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in the US.
PA MediaIt has been on the Buildings at Risk register since 2002 and a specialist conservation design team will be appointed to fully investigate the condition of the building.
The state of the building’s concrete cladding, an important element of Womersley’s 1972 design, is of particular concern.
Dr Samuel Gallacher, director of the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, said: “This will be a seminal project for Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, heralding new ways of working and a new approach to conserving modernist architecture.
“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.”
He thanked the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery players and the Architectural Heritage Fund Scotland for their support.
Caroline Clark, director for Scotland at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Bernat Klein’s work brought textiles from the Scottish Borders to the attention of Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga and more.
“The studio became a unique focal point for an industry that is inextricably woven into the heritage of this area of Scotland.
“The Bernat Klein Studio Coalition taking possession of this very special building delivers an opportunity to give it a new creative life.”
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