A number of Scottish buildings have been included in the Architectural Heritage Fund’s (AHF) list of 25 standout projects, highlighted as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
This diverse selection of projects supported by the organisation stretches across the UK and is designed to illustrate what 50 years of heritage-led regeneration looks like in practice.
Covering all four nations, the 25 projects have been arranged into five regional groups: Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, North & Midlands and London & South. Spanning five decades of AHF activity, they range from medieval stone forts and Victorian courthouses to industrial potteries, seaside piers and arts venues created within redundant warehouses.
Kinning Park Complex, located in Glasgow’s southside, was a former Edwardian school famously occupied by local mothers for 55 days to prevent its closure, which has been restored as a thriving space for dance groups, artists, musicians and community projects.
Other Scottish projects to feature in the list include John O’Groats Mill, a B-listed former corn mill situated near John O’Groats, which was vacant for over 20 years and on the Buildings at Risk Register. John O’Groats Mill Trust plans to restore it as a heritage visitor attraction and community venue, using traditional methods and materials with a new build extension incorporating a green roof of indigenous species.
Inverness Creative Academy also features. The former Inverness Royal Academy buildings — built by Ross and Macbeth in 1895 — have been transformed by WASPS into a creative hub for Inverness and the Highlands. Phase 1 restored the 1913 Arts and Science extension to provide 40 artists’ studios and creative learning spaces, while Phase 2 converted the original Academy building into 80+ workspaces, meeting rooms, a café, and a gallery.
Edinburgh’s Collective Gallery Calton Hill/City Observatory project also makes the list. The Old Observatory House dates back to the 18th century when it provided accommodation for astronomers at the City Observatory, designed by New Town architect James Craig. Charitable visual arts organisation Collective has sensitively adapted the house into two holiday-let apartments, hosting visiting artists and supporting the organisation’s wider arts engagement programme.
The final Scottish project is Leith Theatre, a historic venue that opened in 1932 as a gift from the people of Edinburgh to the people of Leith. The theatre closed in 1988 and has been subject to ongoing restoration efforts, with the AHF among the funders helping to bring it back into use as a performance venue and cultural hub.
Matthew Mckeague, chief executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund, said, “For 50 years, the AHF has worked alongside communities to give new life to historic buildings and to ensure that heritage remains at the heart of regeneration. These 25 projects are a snapshot of what that looks like across the UK. They are hugely different in scale, age and what they’ve become, while all sharing a similar spirit. They are united by the fact that local communities saw potential in a building that others had given up on, and found a way to bring it back.”
Since its foundation in 1976, the AHF has supported 2,432 projects across the UK, awarding 3,079 grants and loans with a combined value of over £182 million. The 25 projects form part of a wider programme, which includes a touring exhibition visiting Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, and London.
