Prefabricated metal modules have been used to create Fireplace Station 67, which was designed by structure studio Wittman Estes to be sturdy, adaptable and fast to assemble and reconfigure.
The fireplace station is positioned in Rancho Mission Viejo, a census-designated place in Orange County, California. The realm consists of ranching operations, new residential developments and 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares) of open house.
Totalling 4,667 sq. ft (434 sq. metres), the single-level station sits on a flat website, with hills within the background.
The constructing is fabricated from metal modules that have been prefabricated in a manufacturing unit, trucked to the positioning, and put into place utilizing a telescopic forklift.
“The quickly deployable metal cubes are designed for reuse, velocity and resilience,” the workforce mentioned.
Designing the constructing for reuse was crucial, as there are plans to transform the station into an environmental studying centre in 10 years.
Usually, a firehouse with such a brief lifespan would have little design benefit and could be constructed of low-cost and non-durable supplies.
“Interim hearth stations are sometimes constructed as generic, interior-focused packing containers,” the workforce mentioned.
“These short-term stations find yourself in landfills, including to the waste stream and accelerating local weather change.”
For Fireplace Station 67, the intention was to create a sturdy constructing that would adapt to altering wants. Furthermore, the workforce wished to make sure the station might be constructed shortly.
“By designing for offsite fabrication and speedy meeting, Wittman Estes streamlined the design, documentation and allowing course of so development may start lower than a 12 months after the design course of started,” the agency mentioned.
“This course of allowed for parallel website growth work in California and the manufacturing unit development in Nevada, leading to a six-month complete development timeline.”
The constructing consists of 10 modules that adjust in dimension. Metal was used as a result of it’s robust, non-combustible and “probably the most environment friendly structural materials from a weight-to-strength ratio”, the workforce mentioned.
Utilizing forklifts and telehandler machines, the pre-built modules have been set inside a metal body with 30-foot-long (9 metres) trusses.
Exterior partitions are clad in corrugated metal siding. The doorway is marked by an aluminium trellis and an indication with giant, illuminated purple letters.
“Rhythmic glazing reinforces a rational exterior and divulges the performance of the inside,” the workforce added.
The station’s inside was designed to “assist an surroundings for work, relaxation and camaraderie between the firefighters”.
The entrance portion of the constructing, which appears to be like north, consists of a public entry and the captain’s quarters.
To at least one aspect is a sleeping wing with loos and 5 dorm-style bedrooms. To the opposite aspect is the dispatch room, a kitchen/eating space and a lounge.
The equipment bay – with house for hearth vehicles, tools and a health club – is positioned within the southern portion of the station.
Quite than an enclosed storage, the workforce created an open-air bay that eliminates the necessity for truck exhaust to be dealt with by giant machines.
In areas for stress-free and recharging, the workforce used toned-down colors and detailing to create a tranquil ambiance. In distinction, the equipment bay is painted brilliant purple to imitate “the flurry of exercise” that occurs there.
Different initiatives by Wittman Estes embody a black home impressed by historic Chinese language panorama work and an elevated extension to a Forties seashore home that’s supported by pin piles and skinny metal columns, minimising harm to the panorama.
The images is by Nic Lehoux.
Challenge credit:
Architect: Wittman Estes
Wittman Estes design workforce: Matt Wittman, Brandon Patterson, Julia Frost
Builder: Xtreme Cubes
Collaborating designer: Ana Maria Pinto da Silva
Inside design: Birsel+Seck
Panorama architect: Land Concern
Civil engineer: Fuscoe Engineering
Shoppers: Orange County Fireplace Authority, Rancho Mission Viejo
