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 …
Whilst continuing to work on one of James Gowans’ buildings in Edinburgh, we happened across another of his buildings next door to one of our projects at St Mary’s Church Lochee, Dundee. The long since obsolete Lochee Railway Station (1861) was instantly identifiable with Gowan’s distinct design using two-foot modules, expressed in the rough hewn sandstone banding and infilled with …
Even underground there are doocots, here in the North Esk valley, Midlothian, reputedly Bruce’s cave, underneath and the support for one of our projects. The meat from the squabs, the featherless young pigeons, gave important winter food. Delicious minced with cabbage, which of course pigeons love to eat, and cooked as a pasty!
As we huddle indoors during this wet February, we are reflecting on the glorious sunny days spent surveying bothies within the Moffat hills of Scotland and the Lake District of England last summer. Over Phawhope Bothy, understood to have been the childhood home of the renowned Scots poet and novelist James Hogg, also known as ‘The Ettrick Shepherd’ for his …
BTA have successfully appealed a refused planning decision regarding the installation of eight photovoltaic (PV) panels in Edinburgh’s New Town. Our appeal focused on the sensitivity of the design within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the critical importance of integrating renewable energy into historic buildings. This victory reinforces our commitment to sustainable heritage. BTA has also recently …
Recently a most enjoyable evening visit was made to Rainbow Glass’s new studio at Granton Station. Here Nick Teed is showing Aurèlie, Ailbhe & Amy how to use deionised water and cotton buds to clean a panel from Joseph Hansom’s wonderful church at St Mary’s Lochee (Dundee). The amount of accumulated dirt astonished us all, as did the quality of …
Whilst inspecting the roof repairs at Moncreiffe House an interesting species has been identified. Related to the pelican this variation of shears are popular with roofers working with hard metal. Pelican shears, also known as “Pellys”, are used for long, straight, and clean cuts on copper, zinc, and steel, up to 1.5mm thick. Their long blades and slight handle offset allow …
After working with the practice for three years, we are delighted that our resident student, Jemima, has graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a M.Arch with Distinction and the Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith Prize. Jemima is moving to London to work for Giles Quarme Architects where we know she will continue to excel.
As part of the Ian Hamilton Finlay Centenary celebrations, a special Sunday afternoon fund-raising regatta on Loch Eck was arranged. Here the remarkable George Gillilands, Head Gardener and ‘master of ceremonies’ is picking up the stragglers.
