Meet your Conservation Architect
Deborah Anderson
Debbie is Principal Architect of Deborah Anderson Architect established in 2023, who has been accredited as a Conservation Architect by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) since 2019. Debbie is also a chartered member of both the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
There are over 51,000 architects in the UK and Debbie is one of only 260 Conservation Architects currently on the RIBA’s Conservation Register.
Throughout her career she has gained a wealth of experience in the architecture industry and has worked with a wide range of clients on conservation projects.
Debbie established Deborah Anderson Architect in order to provide clients with specialist conservation input to both listed and historic buildings as well as providing a bespoke, individually tailored service that allows the time required to deal with each unique project.
Prior to starting DA-Architect, Debbie was Associate and Conservation Architect for a leading Aberdeenshire practice where she was able to hone her skills over a 16-year period. Although Conservation is Debbie’s first love she has worked in all areas of architecture and this rounded skill set enables her to see the “bigger picture” on projects and she understands how to interrelate these different elements of architecture, design, and conservation in a creative and efficient way.
More than one in five buildings in the UK pre-date 1919 and Debbie believes that it is crucial to employ a person with the correct competences in the diverse field of conservation to navigate your way through the process.
Over the past 20 years Debbie has learned first-hand through varied experience that you must value the importance of forming a deep understanding of the history and cultural relevance of a particular building or place. Only when this has been achieved, it will inform your actions and proposals moving forward.
As a Conservation Architect one of Debbie’s primary roles is to identify the potential challenges of historic buildings, areas and places, including managing change in a sustainable manner. Debbie loves to find design solutions including the repair, maintenance, adaptation and re-use of historic buildings and places that sustains and promotes their cultural significance.
Working in the heritage sector can be diverse and exciting as every building is unique in design, construction and use.
Debbie has learned and believes that architectural heritage should be protected. Conserving a historic building can however mean intervening to enable its continued use or to create a new use. This may involve alterations or extensions, requiring absolute sensitivity and confidence. A sense of what will be right comes from experience and a deep understanding of the building itself.
Let’s work together
Debbie has worked with clients across Aberdeen + Shire, Moray, Highlands and Angus. Send us an enquiry and we will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible.