Who Gets to Save What?
The Ownership of Heritage and the Politics of Adaptive Re-use
Join us at Civic House for this year’s Andy MacMillan Lecture, chaired by Natasha Huq RIAS RIBA, which will bring together panellists Lily Erskine and Phil Long OBE to explore the contested terrain of architectural preservation. Using the recent sale of the Bernat Klein Studio as a starting point, the conversation will examine how heritage is shaped not just by cultural value, but by questions of ownership, access, and agency. At the heart of the debate lies a critical question: who owns heritage—and who gets to decide its future? In a commercial landscape where buildings are increasingly treated as commodities, this panel will interrogate the ethics, responsibilities, and possibilities of adaptive re-use in the face of market-driven pressures.
Following the talk, we will be announcing the winners for the 2025 A&DS and RIAS Scottish Student Awards for Architecture.
Students, Professionals, Friends, Family, everyone is welcome along.
