Millwood Fire Station No. 1
Square Footage
18,200
Project Description
Finding an affordable, centrally located site was difficult. The selected 10-acre property has a steep slope with several houses very close by. Setting the new firehouse into the slope minimized the visual impact of the 18,200-sq.-ft. structure in a residential neighborhood. The central section of the building, a two-story windowed “jewel box,” reduces the building’s mass and creates a dramatic open space celebrating the company’s history while also establishing a clear boundary between the public and firematic places.
Because the site’s topography funnels more than 20 acres of storm water toward the building, the design includes a sophisticated storm water-retention system, including a pond with native plantings, multiple bio-swales, and pervious driveways and parking areas to manage and filter runoff.
Facilitation fast response times was the guiding principle of the Millwood layout. Parking for volunteers is on both sides of the apparatus bays to create the shortest paths to the gear lockers. The member lounge, the center of activity for the Company, is located directly adjacent to the apparatus bays. Similarly, the second floor exercise room is located next to a stair leading directly into the bays.
While anticipating possible future scenarios that include a paid department, the new Millwood volunteer Fire Station provides a striking design and appealing “right sized” member amenities that will help the Company attract and retain dedicated volunteers today and for generations to come.
Our Involvement
Square Footage
18,200
Project Description
Finding an affordable, centrally located site was difficult. The selected 10-acre property has a steep slope with several houses very close by. Setting the new firehouse into the slope minimized the visual impact of the 18,200-sq.-ft. structure in a residential neighborhood. The central section of the building, a two-story windowed “jewel box,” reduces the building’s mass and creates a dramatic open space celebrating the company’s history while also establishing a clear boundary between the public and firematic places.
Because the site’s topography funnels more than 20 acres of storm water toward the building, the design includes a sophisticated storm water-retention system, including a pond with native plantings, multiple bio-swales, and pervious driveways and parking areas to manage and filter runoff.
Facilitation fast response times was the guiding principle of the Millwood layout. Parking for volunteers is on both sides of the apparatus bays to create the shortest paths to the gear lockers. The member lounge, the center of activity for the Company, is located directly adjacent to the apparatus bays. Similarly, the second floor exercise room is located next to a stair leading directly into the bays.
While anticipating possible future scenarios that include a paid department, the new Millwood volunteer Fire Station provides a striking design and appealing “right sized” member amenities that will help the Company attract and retain dedicated volunteers today and for generations to come.