St Peter’s Seminary has been awarded £4.2million of funding from HLF and Creative Scotland to help transform it into a unique heritage and arts destination, and IHBC members who attended the 2014 Annual School in Edinburgh may recall that this project was discussed at the day school.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) writes:
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Creative Scotland have announced £4.2million funding to breathe new life into the derelict St Peter’s Seminary, transforming it and the estate surrounding it into a truly unique arts venue and heritage destination.
HLF awarded funding of £3,806,000 to arts organisation NVA to carry out the project, while Creative Scotland confirmed a National Lottery funding award of £400,000 towards the project. The Seminary is currently the centrepiece of a sell-out public art event, marking the launch of the Festival of Architecture and is a key highlight of the Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design.
Regarded as one of Europe’s greatest modernist buildings, St Peter’s Seminary near Helensburgh opened as a training centre for young priests in 1966 – its ground-breaking architecture was designed by Isi Metzstein and Andy McMillan of Gillespie, Kidd and Coia. It closed its doors in 1980 and has lain abandoned since, with the effects of the elements and vandalism contributing to its now ruinous state.
This major investment will see key elements of the building restored while others will be consolidated to allow the public safe access to large-scale events and performance as well as to smaller community activities. The triple-height chapel will be partially restored and converted into a 600-capacity venue while the former sacristy and crypt will be a focal point for exhibitions.
The transformation will include the 104-acre rural estate surrounding the architectural masterpiece – an estate which includes the remains of the 15th-century Kilmahew Castle. A path network based on the original 19th-century designed landscape will be reinstated, historic bridges restored and the Victorian walled garden brought back into productive use, bringing the site back to life and encouraging new audiences to visit. It is expected that over 200 people will become involved as volunteers.
View the press release
View the press release on events at the Seminary
View more information on Scotland’s Festival of Architecture 2016
View information on the St Peter’s project as discussed at the IHBC Annual School in Edinburgh 2014
