Ewan Williamson Tribute - Tollcross Fire Station

Walking along West Tollcross I came across a peculiar building that I couldn't quite figure out. Why is this the only art deco building around, what is its purpose? A closer look clued me in to it being a fire station, and helped me find a memorial plaque and sculpture on one of its walls. The metal artwork is a tribute to Ewan Williamson, a firefighter of the Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, who died at the Balmoral Bar fire of 12 July, 2009.

The sculpture is the work of David Roxburgh, who at the time was a student of the Edinburgh College of Art. As the dedication plaque explains, Williamson lost his life fighting this fire on Dalry Road in Edinburgh.

Across the street from the station, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's badge is painted on the pavement. Even if it's quite faded, the splash of colour is an interesting lead to the colours on the station itself. The firefighter red can be found on the garage doors, while the main door is a bright blue and the window frames of the upper floor are green.

What had at first seemed to me like art deco is actually considered postmodernist architecture, and the Tollcross Fire Station has been called one of the best examples of the current in Scotland. The many colours are part of the difference between these two styles of architecture. Historic Environment Scotland gave it a Category-B listed building status in 2023. This station was designed by architect Donald William Bain and opened in 1986.

Architectural postmodernism is often considered playful and even a little wild thanks to its embrace of colour, original decorations and materials like glass bricks. Fortunately, the Tollcross Fire Station's take on it is not too exaggerated, making its combination of interesting architecture and sombre memorial a very interesting find.