RIAS Consultancy has announced that Assemble and Office Corr Higgins have been selected as the winners of a competition to undertake a feasibility study for the redevelopment of Timespan, a prominent museum and cultural institution in Helmsdale, Sutherland.

RIAS Consultancy, the competitions and procurement arm of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, launched the competition in September 2024. A rigorous selection process saw six teams shortlisted from an initial field of 38 expressions of interest. Assemble and Office Corr Higgins ultimately emerged victorious, surpassing strong competition from teams led by Dualchas Architects, Moxon Architects, Rural Design, and Konishi Gaffney Architects.

Timespan, currently housed in a former herring curing yard beside the River Helmsdale, occupies a 600m2 site. The proposed redevelopment aims to enhance the museum's facilities, including its café, gallery, workshops, storage spaces, and museum areas. The project will focus on creating a more cohesive and impactful built presence while prioritizing the use of local materials and character and minimizing the organisation's environmental impact.

Assemble and Office Corr Higgins will receive approximately £30,000 to prepare the feasibility study, which will include detailed designs and costings to RIBA Stage 1.


Giulla Gregnanin (director and curator, Timespan) explains why Assemble and Office Corr Higgins were selected: "Assemble and Office Corr Higgins have been chosen as the perfect partners for Timespan. Their focus on empowering communities, their commitment to enhancing local context while advancing Timespan's global ambitions, and their visionary interdisciplinary approach resonate deeply with our ethos. We are thrilled to embark on this collaboration, confident that their expertise will help shape a bold and transformative future for Timespan and our communities.

"We are immensely grateful to RIAS Consultancy for their invaluable guidance throughout this process. The exceptional quality of the five shortlisted teams made the selection both inspiring and challenging, and we sincerely thank all the architects who presented such compelling proposals."

Assemble and Office Corr Higgins said: "We are thrilled to be collaborating with the Timespan team and Helmsdale community on the redevelopment of their building. Timespan is an inspirational and vital cultural resource for the North of Scotland. The project is a fantastic opportunity to create a locally embedded, globally connected venue in the Scottish Highlands, combining fascinating local history with an ambitious and vibrant art programme. It promises to be a wonderful project with a great team and amazing site – we can't wait to get started!"

Tamsie Thomson, chief executive of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, said: "We have enjoyed working alongside Timespan to support its redevelopment objectives, and delighted that Assemble and Office Corr Higgins will be helping Timespan to take the project forward. The team's socially engaged, community driven approach won the day, as well as their understanding of Timespan's combination of local impacts and global outlook.

"At the start of this process we said that Timespan is an organisation that punches above its weight, and we're delighted to be part of a project that harnesses architecture to allow Timespan to fully realise its potential. RIAS Consultancy exists to bring organisations of all shapes and sizes together with great architectural talent, and we're thrilled to have played a part to support Timespan and its exciting plans for the future."