NW RFCA Office Headquarters

The decision to locate the new office headquarters within the Altcar Training Camp facility, came following a review undertaken by Paddock Johnson of potential sites within the NW RFCA’s portfolio, after it was established that the existing offices in a Victorian property within a residential area of Liverpool was no longer fit for purpose.

Whilst the site within Altcar Training Camp fulfilled more elements of the brief than the other sites, it came with it’s own challenges in terms of ecology and green belt designation, being on the edge of sand dunes at the mouth of the River Alt estuary.

The overarching architectural concept is based on simplicity, legibility, and respect for the landscape setting. The building is anchored in the landscape by the solid masonry box emerging out of the ground with a lighter glass box floating on top. Transparency and views through the building to the trees in front and behind help to soften the edges of the building at first floor level, lessening the visual impact and perceived mass.