We're happy to announce that we have extended the dates of our exhibition, A Conversation on Conservation, which will now be live until the end of June. 

Thank you to everyone who has visited the exhibition so far, it's been a wonderful experience and we're excited to have it running for a wee bit longer!

If you're interested, please pop by. It's hosted at our offices and is accessible during office hours. 

We are excited to annouce that Helen Lucas Architects will be participating in this years Architecture Fringe 2025! 

Hosted at our offices from June 9th-19th, our exhibition, A Conversation on Conservation, will be open for all to attend with no advanced booking required. 

Curated by Helen Lucas Architects, A Conversation on Conservation examines the process and significance of preserving Edinburgh’s historical architecture. Through a selection of our key projects, this exhibition explores conservation in Edinburgh’s New Town, showcasing how thoughtful, sensitive interventions can preserve its distinctive historic character while introducing modern adaptations that allow for contemporary use. By maintaining historical integrity and addressing modern energy demands, these projects highlight the essential role of conservation in safeguarding the city’s built heritage, ensuring its longevity and continued relevance.

To read more about our exhibition and other Architecture Fringe events, please click here. 

Helen recently visited Eugene to present her lecture, A Conversation or Conservation, at the University of Oregon. Drawing from projects such as Stone Garden Room and the Ingleby Gallery, the lecture showcased the process and possibilities of preserving and revitalising Edinburgh’s Georgian architecture. In her talk, Helen highlighted the delicate balance between maintaining historical features and adapting buildings for modern use, illustrating the planning challenges and heritage decisions involved. Through thoughtful repairs and alterations, Helen's presentation emphasised the vital role of conservation in ensuring these architectural gems endure for another 200 years.

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.

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.

Helen Lucas Architects Ltd are excited to announce that we are currently working with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to reinvigorate the Grade B Listed Inverleith House. The project will establish design solutions to sensitively refurbish and upgrade the garden’s key creative programmes venue, amplifying the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Arts Strategy to establish Inverleith House as Climate House and be both ecologically and sustainably focused. 

HLA had a great time at Carpenter Oak's 'Craft and Design of Timber Framing' talk at their workshop in Angus. This was an opportunity for us to gain a greater understanding of the production and design possibilities of traditional timber framed buildings.

HLA were pleased to attend the formal opening of new practice rooms at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland yesterday. The new practice rooms have already proved popular, and initial feedback from staff and students has been very positive.

HLA have very much enjoyed working with the Royal Conservatoire and the project team and hope that their new Creative Campus is an asset to this lively and thriving institution.

The opening has been covered by both the BBC and The Herald.

Helen Lucas Architects entered a recent competition by Highland Council for the design of three roadside shelters at Locharron, Achnasheen and Braemar Junction.

Taking the view, orientation to the sun and exposure to the surrounding environment as the inspiration, the project sought to provide places of ‘prospect and refuge’ for visitors to the area. The shelters used a combination of local materials and pre-fabrication to make construction and repair as easy as possible in these often remote locations. 

Although we were not shortlisted in the final three entrants we very much enjoyed developing these proposals.

We are pleased to announce our appointment by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for a £1.6m refurbishment at their headquarters in Glasgow. Having been awarded 6th in the world for performing arts eduction, R.C.S.’s enduring popularity has led to an increase in student numbers.

 

The project involves internal reconfiguration of the prominent Renfrew Street building designed by Sir Leslie Martin, and introduction of new windows to the existing elevations to provide a number of acoustically high-performance individual and ensemble practice rooms. Also included are gathering spaces to support social and creative interaction, the lifeblood of The Conservatoire’s unique student output. 

 

H.L.A. look forward to working with R.C.S. to provide spaces which inspire students and are worthy of this internationally acclaimed institution.