Old Fire Station, Worcestershire

2025 RIBA West Midlands Award

Old Fire Station, Worcester
KKE Architects for Guthrie Roberts
Contract value: £3.2m
GIA: 2920m²
Cost per m²: £1,400

This is a wonderful, creative reuse scheme that reactivates and breathes new life into an important building in the centre of historic Worcester. Built in about 1938 as part of an early 20th-century civic centre, the Old Fire Station has been transformed with skill and finesse into 28 new apartments with retail space in the ground-floor former fire-engine bays. It stands in a prime location, situated between the Guildhall on the High Street and the River Severn, with views of Worcester Cathedral.

The jury appreciated the client’s enthusiasm for their project and for the history of the original building, as well as the civic contribution and the value added by KKE Architects. The Old Fire Station was built together with the Old Police Station as a pair of public buildings adjoining the Guildhall (town hall), all sited along the new pedestrian route the city is establishing to connect the High Street to the banks of the River Severn. The new retail in the former fire-engine bays is intended to activate this route and restore life to this former civic centre.

KKE Architects has treated the existing building with respect and care. Light-touch interventions make the most out of what already existed, with new additions that boldly but harmoniously contrast with the existing. The new elements are clearly articulated in a crisply detailed contemporary architectural language in the courtyard. The distinctive ‘cottage red’ standing-seam steel cladding is especially successful. The jury also enjoyed wonderful glimpsed views of the new rooftop extension between adjacent historic buildings, lanes and courtyards.

This project proves that retrofit does not need to be expensive. Cost is often used as a reason to justify demolition, but this remodelling demonstrates what can be achieved on a tight budget. At £1,400 per square metre, it is incredibly good value. It is also an exemplar of sustainable urban development, combining social and environmental value.

Virtually all the original building has been retained, with minimal alterations – for example, one fire-station tower was extended vertically to make a lift shaft. By simply adding a deck and planters, the existing canopy, which used to shelter the fire engines and equipment, is transformed into a social terrace and garden shared by all the apartments. The architects have taken advantage of the existing south-facing courtyard to offer views, sun and ventilation, and rooftop photovoltaic panels provide electricity. A key move was inserting a new floor of apartments in the roof space, with tremendous views to Worcester Cathedral and beyond to the Malvern Hills.

This project is an inspiring example of what can be done with existing building stock in our cities, providing homes and community that contribute to civic life and connect history to the present.

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RIBA Regional Awards 2025 sponsored by Autodesk, EH Smith, Equitone and Velux