This facility received the Joint Facilities Notable award in the 2024 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here.
Rustic materials, such as stone, flashed brick and heavy timber, were used in the vein of North Carolina mountain architecture to produce the Mills River Fire & Rescue firehouse. The natural wood is highlighted in the entryway to the firehouse to provide a warm and inviting feel to the front door of the station.
The project presented the members of the design team with unique challenges with respect to land development issues that are specific to the delicate environment of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the regional watershed. In particular, the management of surface and subsurface hydrology, as well as the management of on-site and off-site sanitary sewerage utilities, were particularly challenging.
The new headquarters station replaces the original headquarters facility that far outlived its service life and features the most contemporary fire service and living quarters amenities, which will permit the department to provide the highest level of service to the citizens of Mills River for many decades to come.
Architect: Stewart Cooper Newell