Fire stations are more than just buildings where emergency responses take place; they serve as vital symbols of a city’s commitment to safety and protection. When designing these essential public infrastructures, architects must not only focus on functionality and efficiency but also consider their impact on the community. As architects and designers, we pay careful attention to every detail to create spaces that meet operational needs while inspiring and connecting with the community.
A fire station is often one of the most prominent buildings in a neighborhood, and it must reflect the values and culture of the community it serves. The design of the building involves thoughtful choices in materials, layout, and integration with public art. Our goal is to create a space that is not only operationally effective but also has a deeper, symbolic connection to the community. For instance, in our design of Fire Station 31 in Seattle, we chose charred wood as the primary exterior material, which fits the residential aesthetic of the area while symbolically referencing the controlled burning process that firefighters deal with. Additionally, we collaborated with artist Damon Brown to create a 14-foot-high, 70-foot-long Byzantine-style glass mosaic that adorns the building's façade. This artwork draws inspiration from the history, people, plants, and buildings of the Northgate neighborhood. Through these design elements, we hope to create a space where community members can see reflections of themselves in the public infrastructure in a meaningful way.
Fire stations are also places where firefighters constantly train and maintain their physical fitness. Firefighting is a high-intensity, fast-paced job, and firefighters must stay at the top of their game to respond to emergencies effectively. This means that fire stations must be equipped with spaces for training and fitness to ensure that firefighters can stay fit and continue to learn new techniques. In many designs, we include classrooms, self-study computer terminals, dedicated training walls, and modern workout facilities to minimize the time firefighters spend traveling to offsite training facilities. For example, we are currently collaborating with BNBuilders and MWStudios on a project at Bates Technical College in Tacoma to design a new facility for the Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician programs. This project merges our expertise in both fire station and higher education design, allowing us to create a space that supports realistic training scenarios for students while also improving firefighter training in the long run.
Another critical aspect of fire station design is optimizing response times. When responding to an emergency, firefighters know that the speed with which they leave the station is crucial, and every second counts. In designing fire stations, we focus on reducing the time it takes for crews to get to the vehicles and leave the station. We carefully plan the layout of the station to ensure that the apparatus bays are positioned for quick access to major roads, and we aim to minimize walking distances within the station. We also pay close attention to small details, such as the placement of switches, maps, and dispatch computers, as well as incorporating features like fast-acting bifold garage doors and lighting systems that are synchronized with alerting systems to ensure crews can respond immediately.
Firefighters face heightened health risks due to exposure to carcinogens from burning materials, chemicals in protective gear, and diesel fumes from the vehicles. To mitigate these risks, it’s vital to design fire stations that promote healthy indoor air quality and support best practices for contamination control. For example, we integrate distinct areas for decontamination (red zones), gear storage (yellow zones), and daily living and working (green zones), ensuring that the workflow between these spaces minimizes cross-contamination. Additionally, we provide specialized ventilation and dehumidification systems in high-risk areas to expel airborne contaminants, while ensuring that clean areas remain protected. Features like hand wash and boot wash stations near the apparatus bays encourage firefighters to clean themselves before entering the station’s cleaner areas, promoting healthier work habits.
As environmental concerns grow, there’s an increasing demand for public buildings to operate without relying on fossil fuels, and fire stations are no exception. Many new fire stations are designed to be fully electric, with heat pump systems for space heating and hot water. In the future, electric fire trucks will also be part of these stations, creating significant new electrical needs. For example, in our Seattle Fire Station 31 project, we’ve ensured that the electrical system is robust enough to accommodate the future charging needs of an all-electric fleet. While this increases the station's electrical requirements significantly, the environmental benefits and long-term operational savings far outweigh the initial cost and planning challenges.
Fire stations are more than just emergency response hubs; they are the heart of a community’s commitment to safety and well-being. The design of these facilities must balance functionality, health, sustainability, and community connection. By paying attention to these often-overlooked details, we can create spaces that not only support the critical work of firefighters but also reflect the values of the neighborhoods they serve.