One of several RNLI Lifeboat Stations in Devon and Cornwall designed by The Bazeley Partnership, the new facility on Exmouth’s Esplanade had to accommodate not only the complexities of the site and the RNLI’s operational requirements, but also the Local Authority’s desire to see a high-quality, landmark building in the location.

The result is a practical building with a bold presence on the shoreline that houses an inshore lifeboat, a Mersey Class all-weather lifeboat and a public viewing gallery and shop.

Conceptually, the design reflects its coastal location and the building’s purpose. The heavy masonry walls faced in local stone and appearing as if they are a natural feature of the landscape rise-up to a series of sharply angled roof planes finished in copper.

The undulating roof form not only mimics a storm-tossed sea, but also the drama of rescue with the main ridge over the boat hall leading one’s eye out to the horizon. The copper roof, bright and polished when new, has, over time, softened to a green patina, alluding to the colour of the ocean.

Photography by Girts Galens