Local MSP Rachael Hamilton recently visited the studio that was once home to the celebrated textile designer Bernat Klein as refurbishment plans begin to get under way.
The A-listed brutalist building near Selkirk was designed by the late modernist architect Peter Womersley.
Last year, the building was acquired by the Bernat Klein Studio Coalition, a partnership between the Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF), the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT).
The studio has been on the Buildings at Risk Register since 2002 and is currently in poor condition, making the planned programme of refurbishment both urgent and significant.
During her visit, Ms Hamilton discussed the building’s rich local heritage, opportunities for skills and training, and the coalition’s vision to bring the studio back into active use.
Borders MSP Rachael Hamilton said:
“It was fantastic to visit such an important building with such a remarkable history.
"The Bernat Klein Studio is an architectural masterpiece we should be proud of and cherish.
“I am encouraged by the ambition of the coalition to restore the studio and give it a sustainable future as a living and working space.
"This project has the potential to protect a unique part of our local heritage while creating new opportunities for skills, jobs and economic development in the region.”
