We recently attended the talk Nature-led Conservation, ‘Can Heritage Survive Without Nature?’ hosted by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and inspired by Patrick Geddes’ famous ‘Valley Section’. In its simplest description it is a diagram showing the connections between town and country, people and nature. https://patrickgeddestrust.co.uk/geotechnics/ https://www.shbt.org.uk/
“Our Living spaces are getting smaller but as we spend more time at home they must now work harder than ever…” We are delighted to be used as a Case study in Mary Leslie’s book, Squeezing It In, which features one of our Edinburgh tenement projects as a Case Study. When Squeezing It In was first published in 2022, the …
Last weekend we had the great pleasure of giving the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS) a tour of recent works at Hawthornden Castle, the famous Literary Retreat. Hawthornden is believed to be the first castle in Scotland to be fully protected by a low-pressure water mist system — a quietly significant achievement, with the misting heads barely noticeable in …
The Scotsman magazine published on the 5th September 1998 covered the The Hub, the Edinburgh Festival Centre, when it was in construction and the Sculpture Gallery by Jill Watson was coming together one figure a day! At the time Ben imagined the centre would be used for “social gatherings, its where you meet the stars have a drink, coffee, read …
John Peacock, Professor of Cosmology in the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and winner of the 2014 Shaw Prize, sitting in the 1920s Astronomer Royal’s observatory chair at the Royal Observatory. The motorised chair goes up and down and tilts at all angles. John’s work, mapping the cosmos, theoretical and observational cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, is done in rather more …
St Mary’s Lochee, “a Cathedral in Miniature” of considerable distinction, designed by one of the very best Victorian architects, Joseph Aloyisus Hansom, has just completed the first phase of repairs by George Martin of Dundee, with much local funding and grants from HES, National Churches Trust, Benefact Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Northwood Charitable Trust Fife Environmental Trust, FCC Community & …
One of the many joys of working in architecture is to be able to visit places all over Scotland and the UK. Yesterday, some of the BTA team enjoyed one of those beautifully sunny days out basking in the rich fishing heritage of one of our projects and the incredibly expressive patina of the B-listed cottages on the harbour. This …
It’s not every day that a church finial gets the star treatment, but at St Mary’s, Lochee, a divine gleam at the top of the Sanctuary now catches the eye. The church’s finial received a celestial upgrade, thanks to a remarkable collaboration between two skilled teams: Igoe Steeplejacks and Nevin of Edinburgh decorators. With remarkable coordination, access was safely planned …
TRADITIONAL SKILLS OPEN WEEKEND AT THE ENGINE SHED Earlier this month we attended the Traditional Skills Open weekend held by Historic Environment Scotland in Stirling. Indeed it became an office and family outing. We all (including partners and children, from toddler to teenager!), tried our hands at a range of skills, including stone carving, painting, slate cutting, blacksmithing and stained …
The team at BTA has enjoyed discovering, surveying and exploring the fine Art Deco design and detailing on one of our current projects for the Diocese of Dunkeld involving careful repairs and alterations to a listed 1930s Art Deco building in Dundee. Its Dutch-inspired brickwork, carefully detailed ironwork, original light fittings, fine terrazzo flooring, and quality joinery demonstrate craftsmanship of …
