Welsh + Major transforms an old Sydney police station into a restaurant
Australian studio Welsh + Major has converted a 19th century police station in Sydney into a restaurant with a glazed extension and louvred entrance projecting beyond the old brick walls.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_2sq1.jpg)
Located in a historic area of Sydney's city centre known as The Rocks, the building was originally designed with a Palladian-style frontage in the early 1880s by government architect James Barnet.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh + Major](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_1.jpg)
The police station closed in 1974 and the building was subsequently occupied by various owners. It became vacant in 2009, so Welsh + Major was invited by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority to oversee its renovation.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_151.jpg)
The two-storey neoclassical facade was left in its original state, while the single-storey brick structure behind was adapted to make it fit for use as a restaurant.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_4](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_41.jpg)
Both of the levels behind the facade originally housed offices, connected by a wooden staircase. These have now been converted into dining rooms.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_6](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_61.jpg)
Two of these spaces, located on opposite sides of the double-height entrance portico, feature balconies that retain the original wrought iron balustrades.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_7](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_71.jpg)
The single-storey rear section contains former holdings cells, charge rooms and a muster room that have been transformed into more dining areas.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_9](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_91.jpg)
Many of the prison's original features have been preserved in these spaces, including metal cell doors and window grilles.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_10](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_101.jpg)
A narrow corridor leads through the middle of the building towards the glazed extension, receiving natural light from clerestory windows covered by an arched roof.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_12](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_121.jpg)
The new addition features full-height glazed walls that look out onto a pedestrianised street at the rear of the site.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_111.jpg)
Its robust black-painted steel structure complements the unrendered brick walls, while the louvres shielding the new entrance recall the vertical lines of prison bars.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_8](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_81.jpg)
A former exercise yard squeezed between the prison and a neighbouring building was converted into a galley kitchen for the restaurant, while the glazed entrance also provides access to a raised patio.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_13](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_131.jpg)
Photography is by Katherine Lu.
Here is some information from Welsh + Major:
Former Rocks Police Station
Designed in the form of a Palladian water gate by the Australian Government Architect James Barnet in the early 1880's, this building operated as a police station until 1974.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_17](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_171.gif)
For the next 35 years the building was occupied by various tenants, punctuated by periods of vacancy and restoration, with the building remaining unoccupied from 2009 until the present day.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_16](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_161.gif)
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority engaged Welsh + Major to design adaptations and additions to enable the building to be used as a restaurant or cafe.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_18](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_181.gif)
A robust and elegant new dining room and entry has been introduced to the building on its Nurse's Walk frontage. The former exercise yard has been adapted as a commercial kitchen wing serving new dining rooms in the former holding cells, charge rooms, muster room and offices.
![Former Rocks Police Station turned cafe by Welsh and Major_dezeen_19](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/05/Former-Rocks-Police-Station-turned-cafe-by-Welsh-and-Major_dezeen_191.gif)
Elegantly detailed elements using brass, copper, glass and black painted steel see the building set to re-engage with The Rocks in a way quite different from its' original intent.