This facility received a Renovations Silver Award in Firehouse's 2020 Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here.
Renovating an operational fire station presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges, and the renovation of Fire Station No. 3 for the Lakeside Fire Protection District was no exception. Situated in a rural area and having battled some of California’s most difficult wildfires, this station deserved a fresh modernization to provide firefighters with a facility that not only meets their functional needs, but provides an updated, comfortable living environment that meets current code for essential service facilities.
With the opportunity to redesign the facility to meet advancing essential facility standards, the design takes advantage of the existing structure with modifications for maximum interior space utilization. The building exterior received the addition of a stone veneer, fresh paint and new signage to complement the station’s rural surroundings, to increase street presence and to make the station the landmark that it deserves to be. Reinforced concrete shotcrete walls were added at various locations around the perimeter and in the interior of the building, because the existing partially grouted masonry walls didn’t conform to the current essential facilities seismic design criteria.
The interior of the facility received several enhancements to improve privacy, functionality and durability. The new space includes a refurbished three-bay apparatus room, eight individual crew dormitory rooms for as many as 16 firefighters, four individual crew bathrooms, a public-accessible restroom, office space, work spaces, an open kitchen, a dining/dayroom area, a training room and a fitness room. The design incorporated facilities to accommodate variations in gender makeup of fire personnel. The most important aspects of the layout of the renovated station include meeting all life safety code requirements while ensuring the most efficient and direct access to the apparatus bay from all areas of the station to minimize response time.
Architect/Firm Name: Jeff Katz Architecture.
