Edinburgh's Tollcross Fire Station listed by Historic Environment Scotland for its 'rare' architectural style

The fire station is a ‘rare’ architectural style.

An Edinburgh fire station has been listed for it’s significance as one of Scotland’s ‘best examples’ of postmodern architecture.

Tollcross Fire Station has been designated as a listed building at Category B by by heritage body Historic Environment Scotland (HES). The operational fire station opened in 1986, replacing the Fire Service’s previous Lauriston headquarters.

Heritage chiefs said that Tollcross Fire Station was unique amongst contemporary stations from the later 20th century for its exceptional architectural quality, combining the demands of a modern fire station with a ‘thoughtful response’ to its compact urban site. The building combines a bold and innovative design with traditional materials and references to historical Scottish architecture in a playful and artistic way.

Photo: Historic Environment Scotland

Dara Parsons, head of designations at HES, said: "The Tollcross fire stations is one of Scotland's major contributions to the postmodern style and it is one of the best examples we have of this architectural style, which is rare in Scotland. It now joins a very select few other notable buildings of the same era on the list of Scotland’s most important buildings, such as the Dundee Repertory Theatre and Princes Square in Glasgow.

“Anyone can propose a building for listing via our website. We are currently being asked to consider more of the buildings of the later modern period as recent as the late 1980s, as their architectural quality and contribution to our social and economic history is increasingly recognised.”

The new building was designed by Wick-born architect Donald William Bain, who worked with Lothian Regional Council Department of Architectural Services and on the development of Livingston during the 1960s. The relief sculpture mounted on the front of the building was the result of a design competition, and the winning design was by a then-third-year student at Edinburgh College of Art, David Roxburgh.