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Architects: Schacht Aslani Architects
- Area: 9120 m²
- Year: 2011
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Photographs:Mike Jensen
Text description provided by the architects. The civic scale of Fire Station 30 marks the transition between the commercial activity of Rainier Avenue and the residential Mt. Baker neighborhood. The scale and material presence of the two‐story building make it an anchor along historic Mt. Baker Boulevard. The highly transparent street façade allows passers‐by to view activity within. At night, the illuminated building becomes a beacon of the Seattle Fire Department’s presence within and commitment to its community.
The station relates to nearby civic buildings while maintaining its own unique quality. Wrapped in a folded plane of copper skin, its program is revealed through a series of pulls and reliefs in this fabric. Opaque apparatus bay doors within the transparent curtain wall are juxtaposed with the fritted station signage to create civic identity and a clear public presence.
The station accommodates both the work regimen and the human comfort needs of its inhabitants. The compact plan and simple form of the building optimize its operational efficiency. Room adjacencies support a place for firefighters to work, relax, rebound and enjoy the camaraderie of station life.
The fire station is constructed in a liquefaction zone. Poor soils required that a lightweight wood frame and sheet metal skin be placed atop an elevated structural slab supported by an auger‐cast pile system. A geothermal pump system services living and office areas, reducing energy operating costs. Material finishes and products were selected based on their sustainability in terms of content, cost and maintenance requirements. The project has achieved LEED Gold certification.
