audley house fire station, hove
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audley house is a former fire station in a brighton and hove conservation area, close to the seafront. run-down and empty, it was a building with real character but no future in its original use. acumen asked us to convert it into new homes, working with contractor alexander james contracts (ajc).
instead of erasing its past, we made it the heart of the design. historic photographs helped us win the conservation officer's support, and the finished homes carry clear reminders of the building's working life.
a building's past is its best selling point.
when a building changes use, it's tempting to start again inside the walls. but character is what makes homes like these special. keeping and celebrating a building's story gives buyers something no new-build can offer.
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homes by the sea
a derelict building a short walk from the seafront has become a sustainable location for new housing, reusing an existing structure instead of demolishing it.
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photos as evidence
historic photographs showed how the station originally looked and worked. they gave the conservation officer confidence that our proposals were grounded in the building's history, and helped secure support for the scheme.
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playing on its past
the large fire doors were reintroduced on the street frontage, and graphics inspired by the old station run through the interiors. residents live with a constant, playful reminder of what the building once was.
