In Quarters: Harmony Grove Fire Station 5 in Escondido, CA

This facility received the Career 2 Notable Award in the 2021 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

Fire Station 5 is a new 8,313-squarefoot replacement facility that was built for the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District. Located in the Harmony Grove Village, the station is intended to be an integral part of the new master-planned community. The site presented a number of environmental challenges as well as the requirement that the existing station remain operational during construction. A future administration building is planned for the site once the existing station is removed. The coordination of construction sequencing with the district was an important component of the project’s success.

The single-story station is designed to accommodate five firefighters in an individual dormitory setting. Other station features include a three-bay apparatus room, administrative offices, a kitchen, a dining room, an exercise room and the various support spaces that are required for a facility of this type. The station also features a large meeting room for use in training or community events.

The station was designed to minimize circulation areas and is very efficient. Site features include secured firefighter parking, on-site fueling, an emergency generator and a hose-drying rack. An exterior workout area, complete with artificial turf, is located directly adjacent to the exercise room. The station was designed to reflect the rural aesthetic that was adopted by the Harmony Grove Residential Development. Plaster and cementitious wood siding are used in varying amounts to help to distribute the overall building massing. Exterior colors reflect the color palette of the overall development.

The project was completed using the design-build delivery method.

Architect/Firm Name: PBK-WLC