Historic Environment Scotland: Re-use the Ruin

Apply for this SGSAH-funded internship with Historic Environment Scotland, up to 12 weeks FTE, between January & October 2025.

The project is titled Re-use the Ruin and will involve researching methods of repurposing and adapting ruinous structures.

Deadline for Applications is 15th November 2024.

Location

This will be a virtual internship, but with opportunities for a few in-person meetings as and where appropriate, and the opportunity for fieldwork in the Outer Hebrides.

Project

The project is titled "Re-use the Ruin" and will run through 5 stages.

There are a multitude of ruinous structures within the Scottish landscape. These ruinous structures lie between archaeology and architecture and are part of the end of a building's life as it falls into disrepair. In recent times, however, there has been a movement within architecture to adapt and repurpose such ruinous structures.

Finding the right solution for adapting a ruin is one of the greatest architectural challenges. Not only is the form of the structure often uneven, and the materials compromised by years of exposure to the elements, but the philosophical challenges of how to approach the design and how to touch the existing fabric lightly are complex and highly contentious.

Achieving a clear contrast between new and old while ensuring a successful technical collaboration between materials is bound to present a dilemma when ancient stone meets new ambition.

The research would look to explore how we can repurpose and adapt ruinous structures in a sympathetic manner using modern methods of construction and retaining the visual impact of the ruin.

The research will explore and present a variety of case studies where differing approaches to

1: Building inside the ruin
2: Building on the Ruin
3: Building over the ruin
4: Building within the vicinity of a ruin

The five stages of the project:

Stage 1
• A rapid assessment exercise to identify various projects that have adapted or repurposed a ruinous structure within the modern contemporary setting

Stage 2
• Engage with the designer of the building and collect primary research on their experience and approach. Understand why this approach was taken and what if any lessons they learnt during the project.

Stage 3
• 1) Produce a series of short case studies (max 8-10 projects), and within each case study explore what worked and what didn’t work; 2) Explore the role of modern methods of construction if they played a part; 3) Create a series of discussion points and adopt a position on the replicability and appropriateness of each approach

Stage 4
• Through a series of hypothetical case studies explore how this approach could be utilised on several ruinous blackhouse structures in the Outer Hebrides. Develop proposals informed by stages 1-3 that look at the 4 approaches above and how modern methods of construction can be utilised to ensure that the aesthetic value of the ruin remains visible and present. These could be presented as A1 boards etc.

Stage 5
• Present and disseminate your research.

More information and some examples of previous conversions can be found at:
https://annnisbet.com/?p=1774
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkdaC7Ae4fE
https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/life-for-ruins/life-for-ruins.htm

Outputs

A short, accessible written narrative summarising the findings of the primary research, circa 5,000 words (max 20-30 pages), and a series of short case studies.

Timescale

Application Deadline: 15th November 2024

Start date (or must start by): Flexible

End date (or must end by): Flexible

Project can be worked full time, part time or flexibly in blocks

Benefits to the Researcher

The intern will benefit through gaining experience of practical and applied research, and developing contacts across staff at HES, local authorities, and professional archaeology and architect firms.

Key Relationships

People at HES, professional architects and archaeologists, sector support organisations, local authorities.

Person Specification

Apply here

Return to the Internships & Artists Residencies 2025 page to see other internship opportunities.

First published: 4 October 2024