Elise Careau

Fire Station 204

6/27/2020

This proposed renovation for Fire Station 204 aims to redefine the firefighters’ workplace as a welcoming space for not only the workers, but for members of the community as well. Fire stations are often a place of refuge in a neighbourhood and it is important that individuals feel they can trust going there. In a similar manner, firefighters need to feel safe in their own place of work, and this is often not the case in fire stations due to improper decontamination.

The exterior redesign of the station is intended to convey strength as a way to evoke a sense of safety for both the firefighters and the community. Softer elements such as glass, landscaping and a water feature balance out the design to create a welcoming feeling.

The decontamination zones were an important consideration in the layout of the station as this would ensure a safer work environment for the firefighters. An enlargement of the yellow zone illustrates the transition spaces that would allow for the safe passage of firefighters from the red to the green zone. Other important redesigned spaces include the day room with outdoor access to a private patio, dorms, fitness room, and locker rooms.

Depiction of the North side of the building as approaching from the East

Depiction of the West Side of the building as approaching from the South

The site plan illustrates the new building footprint as well as the modified entrance driveway with accessible and regular parking spaces.

The use of large overhangs and clerestory windows accentuate the horizontality of the design, which is in turn broken by key components such as the main entrance and hose tower featuring the signage. Only a few materials adorn these elevations, including brick, aluminum panels, and glass. The simplicity of this design is intended to highlight it’s message through the broad forms as opposed to the detail.

Depiction of a building section illustrating key interior spaces in the fire station. The dorms featured on the left, detail the particular light condition that allows for natural light in each sleeping room. The large day room, featuring a central skylight, is intended to create a comfortable and unifying space for the firefighters. The Personal Protective Equipment and decontamination rooms, which lie between the day room and apparatus bay, represent key spaces in the transitional zone.

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Elise Careau

Fire Station 204 - Wall Section

Fire Station 204

Elise Careau

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