Caruso St John have been appointed architects for the development of Hospitalfield Arts in Arbroath, Scotland.
The project involves the partial refurbishment of Grade A Listed Hospitalfield House, a magnificent baronial style Arts & Crafts house from the Victorian period, which has functioned as a site for artists’ residencies since the early 20th century, as well as the renovation of the artists' studios, fernery and glasshouse which stand within the estate. The project also involves new buildings within the gardens, providing museum quality archive and exhibition spaces. The development is intended to create a porous and open public resource led by access to the extensive collections of paintings, drawings and works on paper.
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Director Rod Heyes and Project Architect Paula Schilliger present the practice’s masterplan for Hospitalfield House in Arbroath, Scotland, as part of the Architecture Foundation's series of talks exploring the typology of the artist's studio.
Peter St John was interviewed by Veronica Simpson about the practice's renovation work at Hospitalfield House in Arbroath. They discussed the recently completed Café and Fernery, alongside the future plans for the arts centre.
Caruso St John have completed renovation work on the fernery and glasshouse at Hospitalfield House in Arbroath, which opens to the public today. This is the first phase in the wider redevelopment of the Category A listed arts centre.
A new publication about Hospitalfield is out now. Published by Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche on the occasion of the 34th Carlo Scarpa Prize for Gardens. The book tells the story of Hospitalfield, from its 13th century origins as a hospital to an art school founded by Patrick Allan Fraser, and to the current program of artist residencies and community programs.
Hospitalfield is awarded the 34th International Carlo Scarpa Prize for Gardens, 2025-2026, a prize awarded to a place with the capacity to transmit natural, historical and cultural values, devised and organised by the Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche. The prize is named in honour of Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978), the architect and creator of gardens. There will be a public ceremony in Treviso to celebrate the prize.
Lecture
What’s next for our existing buildings?
RIBA and VitrA talks
Great Hall at Barts North Wing, St Bartholomew’s Hospital
12 May 2026
Our director Ben Speltz will give a talk as part of this year's RIBA x Vitra Talks series. He will discuss the practice's approach to working with existing buildings, drawing on a range of projects such as: Hospitalfield Arts, a complex amalgam of medieval buildings in Scotland; Düngerbau, an old chemical factory converted into workspace; and Royal Belge, a sixties office building transformed into a mixed-use program of restaurant, hotel and gym.
Phase 2 of our Masterplan for Hospitalfield Arts, the Studios, have been shortlisted for the RIAS Awards 2026 in Scotland. This phase focuses on the more private areas of the site, creating studios and workshops with excellent access. Centered on the Rear Yard, this phase includes the renovation of the 1901 studios, conservation of the 1845 Patrick Allan Fraser Studio, refurbishment of the Drawing School, and construction of a new studio building.
Angus council has approved plans for a new Collections and Study Centre at Hospitalfield. The 255 m² building will provide gallery space and archival storage for Hospitalfield's permanent collection, as well as workspace for staff, and welcome facilities for visitors.
Caruso St John have four drawings in this year’s Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, curated by the artist Alison Wilding under the theme 'Climate'. The exhibition opens on the 21st June.
The construction of a new office building for insurance company AXA has now been completed on Stampfenbachstrasse in Zurich.
The renovation work has begun on Haus zum Magazin, a former administrative building of the Bally shoe factory dating from 1903. Various layers from previous era's were removed to expose the original steel columns and timber ceilings. Existing windows were retained and sometimes reinforced with new glazing assemblies, and new openings are being cut into the facade to create balconies. The project aims to balance the clearly discernible existing structure and the new residential use.
Work on the refurbishment of the Neue Pinakothek is now well underway. Re-use sits at the heart of the project: original stonework is being carefully dismantled, cleaned, and catalogued before being reinstated following the upgrade of insulation and building services. A precise labelling system and dedicated on-site storage are central to making this process work.