In Quarters: Waterloo Fire Station 12, Jessup, MD

This facility received the Career 2 Notable award in the 2024 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

Waterloo Fire Station 12 is a testament to innovative design, because it delivers a space that serves the needs of the community and its firefighters with the environment in mind. The station prototype raises the standard for county fire stations, boasting three apparatus bays (with the capability to be expanded to four) as well as a complete police suite and private sleeping pods.

The design prioritizes efficiency with an open-concept layout that provides direct access to apparatus bays, to facilitate coordination among firefighters. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the areas with natural light, and an exterior patio that’s adjacent to a pond provides a space for leisure and camaraderie.

The station’s design incorporates a kitchenette and a seating area for meals or impromptu meetings. The locker rooms offer gender neutral accommodations, with shared locker space that leads into private bathrooms and showers.

The design of the firehouse was influenced significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic to address heightened health concerns among its occupants. The station is equipped with an isolated PPE decontamination room and storage facility as well as a negative airlock vestibule that separates the apparatus bay and the living areas. Hand-washing stations, walk-off mats and confined sleeping quarters serve to limit the spread of airborne contaminants.

Waterloo Fire Station 12 further differentiates itself as a premiere station via sustainable design features, such as geothermal heating and cooling, roof-mounted solar photovoltaic panels and innovative stormwater systems that meet 100-year rainfall requirements. Large windows reduce the need for artificial lighting and optimize natural light in an open environment.

This project showcases a functional, sustainable and health-focused design. Required to achieve LEED Silver by county statute, the station surpassed this standard and earned LEED Gold.

Waterloo Fire Station 12 is more than a firehouse; it’s a functional and efficient space that has the health, safety and well-being of its occupants at the core of its design.

Architect: Bignell Watkins Hauser Architects