Set within woodland on the edge of the village of Braemar in the Cairngorms mountains in the Highlands, the project sees an original traditional granite stone building and adjacent outhouses unified.
Moxon has also added a new 1.5-storey extension above, clad in black-coated galvanised corrugated steel to bring old and new together while reflecting the character of rural Aberdeenshire.
The Braemar Mountain Rescue Team was founded in 1965 by local residents concerned about accidents in the mountains and has served the Cairngorms, Lochnagar, Glenshee and Deeside areas for over 60 years. The team now consists of around 40 volunteers who work in partnership with Police Scotland Mountain Rescue.
In 1973, the team moved into its current base, a former fire station, establishing Scotland’s first dedicated mountain rescue centre. The centre is also used as a permanent Braemar Police office.
As visitor numbers to the Highlands continue to rise, so does demand on mountain rescue and policing services.
Improvements to the building on the ground floor include a new entrance, enhanced changing facilities, an accessible WC and dedicated female showers – creating a more inclusive working environment for volunteers.
Upgraded training facilities have also been integrated including a double-height rope access area in addition to additional kit and vehicle storage areas.
To the first floor, internal layouts have been rationalised to improve efficiency and welfare: a larger control room overlooks the courtyard while an expanded avalanche-incident management room sits to the rear.
There is also improved bunk accommodation for volunteers during extended callouts in view of the growing intensity of rescue operations.
Externally, the building has been simplified. The original complicated roofscape has been replaced with a singular, shallow-pitched roof form that references local agricultural buildings.
To improve thermal performance, the building envelope is now highly insulated while low-water fittings reduce consumption. Supporting local wildlife, bat roosting boxes have been installed amongst other biodiversity enhancements.
Beyond emergency response, the centre also plays a role in the wider community, with the team lending support to partners such as the NHS and providing assistance during severe weather events.
Architect’s view
Our ambition was to create a cost-effective, flexible and robust rescue centre that supports the team, improving welfare, inclusivity and the operational efficiency of rescue missions, in turn keeping people in the mountains safer. We worked closely with Police Scotland and the Braemar Mountain Rescue Team to deliver this, and being part of the team myself has allowed us to design in response to first-hand pressures that volunteers face when responding to callouts in challenging conditions.
Ben Addy, founding director, Moxon Architects
Clients’ views
Our primary aim in refurbishing the centre was to provide facilities that would support the team over the upcoming years as membership, training needs and the nature of call-outs changes. The Moxon team and their contractors have absolutely delivered on this and we now have premises that allow us to train for and respond to the wide range of incidents we are increasingly asked to respond to. The real strength of mountain rescue in Scotland is its volunteers who will unquestioningly turn out to help others in difficulty; and they do this against an increasingly complex and demanding world, balancing other aspects of their own lives and the need for up to date and professional training to keep themselves and others safe. The centre refurbishment allows them to continue the long and respected tradition of volunteer mountain rescue into whatever the future holds for them and those they rescue.
Malcolm MacIntyre, operations manager, Braemar Mountain Rescue Association
Police Scotland is proud to have collaborated with Braemar Mountain Rescue and our partners to successfully deliver this extension and partial refurbishment project to our shared facility in Braemar. This vital enhancement strengthens our commitment to saving lives in some of Scotland’s most challenging terrain whilst also providing more modern, sustainable and diverse welfare and response facilities for our officers and volunteers. We work closely with Mountain Rescue Teams across Scotland, and this project strengthens our shared ability to keep people safe in challenging environments. We commend the dedication and teamwork that made this project a success, reinforcing our shared mission to protect and serve the community whilst providing welcome improvement to our vital emergency response infrastructure.
Nada Kent, estates projects and strategic planning lead, Police Scotland
Project data
Location Braemar, Scotland
Start on site June 2024
Completion March 2026
Gross internal floor area 254 m2
Gross (internal + external) floor area 311m2
Form of contract SBCC Minor Works Building Contract with Contractor’s Design for use in Scotland (MWD/Scot)
Construction cost £5.32 million
Construction cost per m2£2,094
Architect Moxon Architects
Client Braemar Mountain Rescue Association, Police Scotland
Structural engineer Graeme Craig Consulting Engineers
QS McCue & Porter
Principal designer GWS Architects
CDM co-ordinator GWS Architects
Approved building inspector Aberdeenshire Council
Main contractor AJC Construction