Gloucester Services

Set within the protected rolling landscape of the Cotswolds, this project reimagines what a 21st-century motorway service station can be. Working with clients the Westmorland Family, architects Howells created a low-impact ensemble of four buildings, carefully embedded in the site’s natural topography next to the M5.

Clayworks’ Rustic Arakabe and Demi-Rustic clay plasters were selected to complement the building’s palette of natural materials, including locally sourced timber and Cotswold dry stone. Applied throughout the interiors, our finishes bring a subtle warmth and textured tactility that align with the project’s crafted, landscape-driven character. Their use also enabled integrated embossed and debossed wayfinding and signage – an understated, durable approach well suited to high-use public spaces.

Now celebrating its tenth year and the recipient of the AT Test of Time Award 2024, the project has become a benchmark for sustainable, community-centred infrastructure, supporting local producers and consistently ranking as the UK’s No.1 motorway services.