In Quarters: Avondale, AZ, Fire Station No. 175

This facility received a Career 1 Notable Award in the 2022 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

Located in the middle of the city, this new fire station fills a response gap and provides call relief to Avondale’s four other stations. This neighborhood fire station, which is nicknamed The Oasis, is a modern and durable facility. The project sits on 2.98 acres at West Van Buren Street and 127th Avenue. The site housed temporary quarters for the crew while the team designed and constructed the station. The station was designed and built during the COVID-19 pandemic in less than a year.

The single-story station consists of three bays, 10 gender-neutral dormitories, battalion chief and battalion safety officer quarters, offices, a fitness room, a training room, an exam room, logistics, interior decontamination showers, work/living areas and support spaces. On-site improvements include: an above-ground generator, public art, a secure patio, a fitness patio that has artificial turf and secure parking.

The contemporary Southwest aesthetic that was selected for the station is cohesive with multiple municipal projects that are in the surrounding neighborhood. The use of gray metal shade structures, Cor-Ten metal wall panels, random sizes of light gray, white and dark gray concrete masonry units, glazed overhead doors, and gray and black accents grounds the station on Van Buren Street. In addition, the use of these durable materials provides insulation and sound absorption that’s needed because of the station’s proximity to Luke Air Force Base.

The overall design strategies increase the health and well-being of the first responders by providing outdoor spaces, natural daylighting, and single-use gender-neutral dorm rooms and bathrooms while promoting fitness and decreasing carcinogens and infectious diseases. Also included are individual spatial comfort controls, such as zoned HVAC, ceiling fans, lighting controls and blackout shades, to provide rest/recovery and to reduce sleep interruption/deprivation.    

Architect/Firm Name: Perlman Architects