STUDIO
ILDSJEL

Thoughtful design, materials and craft.
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Studio Ildsjel is an architecture practice based in the Scottish Borders, working with traditional and historic buildings and the people who care for them.
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I’m Sarah Altrock, a Chartered Architect with almost 20 years experience across architecture, conservation and the historic environment.

​I grew up in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and have always been drawn to older buildings - their materials, proportions, craftsmanship and the layers of history that make them distinctive. My experience has taken me through architectural practice, property management and heritage regeneration, from traditional barn conversions and private houses to managing artists’ studios with Wasps Studios and delivering Hawick’s £1.5m Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme for Scottish Borders Council, funded principally by Historic Environment Scotland.
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Older buildings are rarely finished stories. I’m interested in their layers and history, their imperfections and craftsmanship, and in finding new ways for them to be useful, loved and lived in.
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I believe new work can be contemporary, thoughtful and inventive while respecting the existing structure and fabric. I believe good conservation means understanding what gives a building its character, while finding thoughtful ways to adapt it for contemporary living, but understanding what makes it special and finding a thoughtful way to bring it into its next phase of life.
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Sarah Altrock ARB MArch RIAS RIBA
Chartered Architect
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Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older & Traditional Buildings
BSc | BArch (Hons) | MArch Architecture
University of Dundee