A coalition of heritage and design groups is making a last-minute effort to save a threatened modernist building in the UK after it was put up for auction. The structure, built in 1972 for textile designer Bernat Klein, has been vacant for decades and suffered significant neglect. Despite intentions to purchase it directly, the owner chose to auction it with a starting bid of £18,000, prompting the coalition to launch a fundraising campaign with the National Heritage Lottery Fund to secure enough funds—around £2.5 to £3 million—by the auction date on July 30th.
The coalition includes the Scottish National Trust and the Barnat Klein Foundation, which aims to restore the studio as a design space and educational center. The studio, designed by Peter Womersley, is noted for its architectural significance and connection to Klein, a notable Holocaust survivor and textile innovator who left a mark on the fashion industry with his designs.
Experts emphasize the historical importance and architectural uniqueness of the building, describing it as a “gem of late modernism.” The coalition believes that restoring this site could serve as a model for saving other significant modernist structures in Scotland.
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