A fiercely contested auction ended with heritage groups saving a modernist treasure in the Scottish Borders—one that’s been teetering on the edge of ruin for over two decades.
The Bernat Klein Studio, a rare piece of late-modernist architecture near Selkirk, was snapped up on Wednesday by a coalition led by the National Trust for Scotland. Starting at a modest £18,000, the bids skyrocketed to a hammer price of £279,000, surprising even the winning bidders. The final bill, including fees and taxes, could tip close to £336,700.
A Hidden Icon on the Brink of Collapse
You wouldn’t know it from the outside, but the derelict concrete structure near Selkirk is one of Britain’s most acclaimed modernist designs.
Built in 1972 for textile designer Bernat Klein, the studio was conceived by Peter Womersley—an architect as revered in specialist circles as he is overlooked by the general public. Womersley, known for his clean lines and brutalist aesthetic, created the building as a dedicated workspace and showcase for Klein’s vibrant fabrics.
It’s been empty for over 20 years. Rain damage, burst pipes, and bureaucratic stalling turned it from a visionary design into an eyesore fenced off with razor wire.
It almost slipped through the cracks.
Bidding War Sends Price Soaring Past Expectations
The studio was initially listed with a guide price of just £18,000, prompting suspicion from conservationists and excitement from speculators.
But the bidding didn’t stay low for long.
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Online and phone bidders drove up the price in £5,000 increments.
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Final bids crept up in smaller steps to reach £279,000.
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With VAT (20%) and a sales fee of £1,900 included, the price could hit £336,700.
The auction was hosted by Savills, who declined to comment on the final buyer or price. However, the National Trust for Scotland and the Bernat Klein Foundation confirmed they were behind the purchase.
“We were ready to negotiate a private sale,” one person close to the group said. “The auction announcement caught us off guard.”
Years of Neglect, Bureaucratic Delays, and Structural Damage
The building’s Category A-listed status, Scotland’s highest heritage rating, wasn’t enough to shield it from years of decay.
A burst pipe years ago caused water damage throughout the studio. Plans to convert the space into a home hit resistance from the local council, which opposed alterations to the historic layout. These delays allowed rot, corrosion, and vandalism to take over.
Several windows are smashed or boarded up. The once-sleek cladding is now stained and buckled. Graffiti scars the inside walls, and the edge of a concrete cantilever has broken off entirely.
There’s even razor wire strung across the overgrown garden walkway.
One sentence here: It’s not exactly visitor-ready.
What Happens Now? A Race to Stabilise and Restore
The first priority: stop it from collapsing any further.
Dr Samuel Gallacher, director of the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT), said restoring the studio will take “months, specialists, and a whole lot of public interest.”
Here’s what we know so far:
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The building needs urgent structural repairs, especially to its flat roof and concrete shell.
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Estimated full restoration costs range up to £3 million.
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The SHBT will oversee the works.
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A National Lottery Heritage Fund application is underway.
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Crowdfunding raised £33,000, and the National Trust for Scotland chipped in financially.
The building’s future use is already being shaped: the Bernat Klein Foundation wants to make it a hub for textile art and architectural exhibitions.
A Friendship Built in Concrete, Fabric, and Style
The studio’s story is tightly woven into the lives of its creator and its patron.
Klein, a Serbian-born textile visionary, counted Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent among his clients. His knack for bold, abstract colours caught the eye of Europe’s most influential fashion designers in the 1960s and 70s.
Peter Womersley, the architect behind the studio and the nearby Klein family home, High Sunderland, was known locally for driving around Selkirk in a red Jaguar E-type. The two men shared more than a creative bond—they shared a vision for modernism that blended form with utility.
Klein died in 2014. Womersley in 1993. Both left legacies that now hang in the balance of concrete, moss, and community effort.
A New Beginning, One Stone at a Time
Support from Scottish Borders Council helped push the project through, but the road ahead is long and complicated.
Still, for Prof Alison Harley, chair of the Bernat Klein Foundation, this is the moment everything changed.
“We’re delighted,” she said, “that after many years, the future for Klein’s studio looks very bright.”
The studio will eventually reopen not just as a memorial to one designer’s genius, but as a place where people can learn, share, and create. It’ll host workshops, exhibitions, and public talks—once the roof stops leaking and the windows are back in.
For now, though, the real work begins
