8 Albert Embankment / The Workshop

Developer: U+I

Architect: Pilbrow and Partners

Local Authority: Lambeth Council

Type: Regeneration / Mixed-Use

Location: 26 Lambeth High Street SE1 7AG, London

Iconic Regeneration Scheme for the Thames Riverside

In partnership with the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, U+I is regenerating 8 Albert Embankment into a mixed-use community. The site, which overlooks the Thames and the Houses of Parliament, houses the iconic Lambeth fire station and former Fire Brigade headquarters. The shared vision for 8 Albert Embankment is to transform the riverside location, using Fred Pilbrow and Partners’ modern urban design credentials. 

Keeping a contemporary fire station at the heart of the project, the work will combine features of the existing building and its training yard within a space which modernises the site and entices the local community. Alongside the operating station will be a permanent London Fire Brigade museum, formerly located in Southwark. The museum will provide a world class collection of content which depicts the history of firefighting, from the Great Fire of London to the present day. 

U+I is engaging with the local community and council to collaboratively shape the development. To facilitate our efforts to open up the site to all at an early stage, in November 2016 they opened their new meanwhile-use community and events space – The Workshop where we launched Yada. Alongside a London Fire Brigade pop-up museum, the space is home to charities, social and start up enterprises and artists, all with creativity at their heart.

The scheme will deliver a state-of-the-art new Fire Station, a new Fire Services Museum, a hotel together with residential and employment space. A revitalised public realm, animated by ground floor shops and cafes, creates new routes and spaces across the development. The scheme proposals carefully integrate new building with the restoration of the two listed buildings on the site.