Last week Helen Lucas Architects enjoyed a summer day trip to the Hill House in Helensburgh. It was fascinating to learn about the 10-year conservation programme undertaken by the National Trust to protect the property which, although a stunning display of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's architecture and Margaret Macdonald's textiles, has not withstood a century of western Scoltand's unforgiving rainfall.

The protective box, a steel frame covered in chainmail mesh, featuring walkways around and over the roof of the house, provides a unique perspective and fantastic vantage point from which to view previously hidden architectural features.

Thank you to Wallpaper's Hugo Macdonald for the kind recognition of Helen Lucas Architect's sensitive work, converting the former Glasite Meeting House into an exhibition space for the Ingleby Gallery, in his recent Guide to Edinburgh during festival season. It is a pleasure to realise conservation led conversion projects within our historic city.

We are thrilled to share that HLA have now received full planning permission for a new house on the Isle of Harris. The proposed project will sit harmoniously within the landscape, maintaining a structure that compliments both the existing site as well as the natural contours of the landscape. Situated just off the waterfront, the property will accommodate two bedrooms, a shower room, a kitchen, dining and living area, utility and toilet, all on a single storey. 

The team thoroughly enjoyed hosting an S4 Edinburgh student on work experience last week. It was a pleasure to provide insights into architectural practice to such an engaged student.

We were delighted to welcome Lyndsay Harrison from Workplace Menopause Support to deliver a workshop to our team. Lyndsay gave us an enlightening and invaluable lunchtime talk on the impact of menopause within the workplace, and how best to support those experiencing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms.

We would strongly encourage everyone to get in touch with Lyndsay to help break the taboo of discussing the menopause, and to educate all in the workplace, and we look forward to continuing our conversations within HLA.