Bernat Klein Design Studio

One of the most sculptural structures of late-century Britain is set among the undulating upland of the Scottish Borders. The Design Studio was designed for Bernat Klein, the famed Yugoslavian-born textile designer, by Yorkshire-born Peter Womersley, a gifted but elusive Modernist architect. Womersley also designed Klein's geometric mansion, High Sunderland, which sits nearby. Womersley's concern with diverse textures and structural adventure is reflected in the Design Studio's use of reinforced concrete and glass over a brick base-course, with the floors defined by huge and daringly oversailing beams. The equilibrium between horizontal and vertical, as well as solid and empty, appears to be excellent.

The structure, which was finished in 1972 and is surrounded by a gnarled battalion of wind-bent trees and situated on a step of level land amid undulating fields, has harsh lines that stand in stark yet sympathetic juxtaposition to its environment. The first-floor walkway terminates on an earthen mound—a serendipitous practical addition mandated by the planning authorities to offer an alternate fire escape—that serves as a dramatic emblem of the building's tight link with the terrain. The Bernat Klein Design Studio, with its neatly designed suite of workplaces, illustrates Womersley's interest with natural forms, shifting light, and color.

Location: Selkirk, Scotland