A Studio with a Story: The Future of Bernat Klein’s Modernist Masterpiece

Designed in 1972 by Peter Womersley, one of Scotland’s most revered modernist architects, the studio was commissioned by textile designer Bernat Klein as a space for creativity, weaving, and exhibition. Womersley’s design is uncompromising and elegant: a two-storey concrete and brick structure with bold horizontal cantilevers, wide frameless glazing, and a central brick-clad service core that frees up the perimeter for uninterrupted workspace. Influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, the studio is a masterclass in late modernist architecture—structurally expressive, deeply contextual, and visually arresting.

The building was granted Category A Listed status in 2002, recognising its national importance. Yet despite its pedigree, the studio had fallen into disrepair over the past two decades. Vacant and in need of modernisation, it remained a compelling but vulnerable landmark.

Seeing the studio come to auction through my colleagues at Savills felt like a pivotal moment. The listing described it as a freehold, two-storey detached former textile studio, with further potential (subject to requisite consents), and well located for the amenities of Selkirk and Galashiels. The guide price was set at just £18,000—a reflection of its condition, but not its value.

What followed was extraordinary. At auction, bidding quickly surpassed expectations, and the hammer finally fell at £279,000—more than fifteen times the guide price. Even more heartening was the identity of the successful bidders: a coalition of leading Scottish heritage and design organisations, including the Bernat Klein Foundation (BKF), the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), and the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT). Their shared vision is to restore the studio and transform it into a public venue for creative arts in the Borders.

This is a fortunate and deeply positive outcome. The building is now in safe hands, and its future looks bright. The coalition hopes to create a permanent base for the BKF, with exhibitions, workshops, and public engagement programmes. While the estimated cost of restoration may exceed £3 million, the first and most important step - securing ownership and halting further deterioration - has been achieved.

For me, this marks more than a professional milestone - it’s a personal moment too. Watching a building I’ve long admired finally receive the care and recognition it deserves is profoundly rewarding. The Bernat Klein Studio stands as a rare fusion of architectural brilliance, creative spirit, and cultural heritage. Its revival promises not only preservation, but inspiration - and I can’t wait to see how its next chapter unfolds.

Further information

Contact Jane McPhillips or James Mackie

Savills Architecture
Savills Auctions