THE GOLDEN CITADEL the restoration of Westminster Fire Station
“ The Westminster Fire Station restoration and regeneration was all about creating an experience for those that live there , with sustainable and natural materials ,” says Jennifer Benningfield , experienced architect and founding principal of Openstudio Architects .
“ We needed to find a reliable supplier of sustainable and natural materials , which were suitable to tie in with the heritage structure .
“ The challenge was sourcing the right materials that were compatible with the fabric of the existing buildings . Working with Lime Green , we managed to develop a solution that matched the original building ’ s beautiful aesthetic and historic character .
“ As a key supplier of lime-based products , their flexibility and reliability helped to make our job easier – and we received a lot of praise for the highquality and beautiful new courtyard building . The lime mortar is an integral part of the brickwork and proves that it is appropriate for contemporary , as well as historical , structures ,” praises Jennifer .
About the project
Using a team of specialists , Openstudio Architects supported the site team in using old and traditional construction techniques to refurbish and develop buildings in a contemporary way , with beautiful results .
“ There were two phases to the Westminster Fire Station project ,” explains Jennifer . “ The first involved refurbishing the existing building , the
Grade II Listed Edwardian Fire Station built in 1906 and decommissioned in 2014 , to create a restaurant and bespoke housing .
“ The second involved developing the site further by adding a new residential building to the rear of the site surrounding a garden courtyard , which is where we used Lime Green ’ s mortar .”
Supporting the local community
“ The project was situated on a very constrained and challenging site ,” continues Jennifer .
“ With its central location , the construction works undoubtedly had an impact on those living and working in the local area , which is why we wanted to ensure the community were completely happy with the project .
“ As we wanted to make sure the new build tied in with the older fire station , there were inevitably challenges that we didn ’ t anticipate along the way . However , most importantly , we needed to ensure we sourced the right materials , which were compatible with the existing building , both in terms of performance and appearance ” says Jennifer .
“ We chose specific products , including handmade Danish bricks and handmade glazed bricks to give depth and texture to the new building . We wanted to ensure use mortar that had a texture and a grain to it , so it would work with the nuances of the bricks , as well as being a colour match .
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