The Twentieth Century Society

Campaigning for outstanding buildings

Catch Up: REDISCOVERING REGIONAL PRACTICES 4: Wheeler & Sproson - New from Old. Lecture

This is a recording of the event that took place on Thursday 14 April 2022

REDISCOVERING REGIONAL PRACTICES 4: Wheeler & Sproson - New from Old. Lecture   

Presented by Dr Diane M Watters

Dr Diane Watters will discuss Wheeler & Sproson (1954-1990) the Scottish architects who pioneered award winning site-sensitive Modern Movement urban renewal in Scotland’s historic burghs in the 1950s and 60s. The firm’s site-sensitive interventions spanned over a quarter century and dominated Scotland’s housing awards.

Key Fife projects at Burntisland, Dysart, and Old Buckhaven will be examined, and 1970s comprehensive redevelopment in post-industrial towns, such as Grangemouth. Diane will also look at the firm’s 1980s schemes for university campuses and historic towns, which advanced early Post-Modernism in Scotland.

The talk will highlight the consistency and integrity of the firm’s public housing design, and celebrate their genuine attempt to foster an architectural ‘national tradition’ and regional identity.

The research and publication work on Wheeler & Sproson began in 1996,  and with a  gift in 2005 of the archive to RCAHMS (now Historic Environment Scotland (HES)). Recently there has been joint doctoral HES research project with the University of Edinburgh.  

Diane is an architectural historian, author, and teacher based in Edinburgh. She is a Buildings Survey project manager at HES, and is a Leverhulme Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh.

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The Twentieth Century Society is a registered charity, no 1110244

The Twentieth Century Society is an IHBC (Institute of Historic Building conservation) recognised CPD provider.

Above: Hunter Building, Edinburgh College of Art, 1971-4; Photograph: Historic Environment Scotland

Booking Closed

Unfortunately, booking is closed for this event and we are no longer able to accept new bookings.