John McAslan + Partners’ commitment to the adaptive reuse of redundant historic buildings has been central to the practice since its earliest years. This approach informed the rescue of Dunoon Burgh Hall — a notable 1874 building on Scotland’s west coast that had fallen into dereliction and faced demolition.
For more than a decade, the practice led efforts to save the Hall, working alongside local volunteers and the newly formed Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust to secure a sustainable future. The project was driven by a shared ambition to return the Hall to public use as a centre for contemporary arts, culture and community activity.
From emergency repair to cultural catalyst
Before full renovation began, emergency repairs made the building safe and weather-tight, allowing it to reopen on a temporary basis. The partially restored Hall hosted theatre workshops, exhibitions, music, dance and comedy. Initiatives such as ‘GSA in Dunoon’ brought students from the Glasgow School of Art to present design- and arts-led proposals for the town, demonstrating the Hall’s potential as a platform for creative exchange.
The project gained momentum with £3.5 million in funding from agencies including Creative Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Historic Environment Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Major cultural moments followed, including an exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs through the Artist Rooms programme, staged within a temporary structure inside the unfinished building. Subsequent milestones included the inaugural Dunoon International Film Festival and a major Andy Warhol exhibition marking the full reopening in 2017.
Lasting legacy
Since reopening, Dunoon Burgh Hall has welcomed over 150,000 visitors and hosted dozens of exhibitions, workshops and community events. It continues to serve as a vital cultural and social anchor – a role reaffirmed during the Covid19 pandemic, when it became home to a community kitchen supporting local residents. The project stands as a compelling example of how locally driven cultural regeneration can sustain both heritage and community life.
