Refurbishment of a community Fire Station

McDonald Road Community Fire Station

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) were undergoing a programme of improvements and alterations to their estate and had identified the McDonald Road Fire Station for refurbishment. Their aim was to transform the site into a research and teaching facility, and a museum for public use.

This new location will enable us to celebrate the proud firefighting heritage of Edinburgh and allow even more visitors to discover the story of James Braidwood and the famous Edinburgh Fire Establishment.

Lewis Ramsay

Assistant Chief Officer and Chairman of the SFRS Heritage Committee

The project relocated the museum to its initial home at the McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station, where it functioned for 25 years before its move to Lauriston Place.

The community engagement centre will be used to educate local children through historical artefacts and interactive displays.

Working in a live environment meant it was key for the project team to navigate the site effectively, operating across a fully functioning fire station throughout the construction process.

The scheme has also refurbished the iconic McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station. Built in the 1960s, it has significantly transformed from a traditional fire station to a state-of-the-art research and teaching facility.

The refurbished McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit of all the team involved, blending history with modernity and serving as a beacon of knowledge and community engagement.

Pick Everard were able to use our expertise from similar past fire station projects across the country to develop best value solutions within the confines of an existing structure, while ensuring we met the specific brief from our client in terms of operational use, health and safety and corporate standards.