Espanola Fire Department

The Espanola Fire Station project was looking at different and unique ways to incorporate metal building technology. My project focused on how to repurpose the metal support system and integrate the system into the design.

Background:  The City of Espanola is a small community in northern New Mexico. The Fire Department responds to emergency calls, provides medical aid to residents, and supports the US Forest Service who fight forest fires.  This design incorporated three components:  the firetruck bays, a multi-purpose training room and a memorial. 

Fire Truck Bays:  The west corner of this site has a grove of pinion trees.  I wanted to integrate these trees into the project, which was accomplished by incorporating a tree canopy into the building design. I started with the structure of the fire truck bays.  My design integrated two Y shaped metal components which represented the tree canopy. The building has a north south orientation. I oriented the bay to the south and incorporated clerestory windows on the east and west facades to capture the morning and evening sunlight.

Multi-Purpose Training Room:   This is a required space which will be used by both the fire station and community for education.  The State of NM has experienced an increase in forest fires and management of the forest has become an important factor for public safety.   The facility helps bring the forest to the city and provides a space for education about fire safety and forest management.

Memorial:  This was also a required element.  I placed the memorial in the center of pinion trees.  I incorporated a small reflection pond which offers a quiet place, for both the firefighters and the community.  All who enter can enjoy a peaceful place that is unique for the community.

Project Design:  Integration of the Tree Canopy was accomplished by exposing structural metal on the outside of the building and into the ceiling components. The steel members represent the tree trunks which support the roof canopy overhead.  The building and site feel integrated into the forest.

Project Considerations:    What is the forest in the city and how do we replicate the feeling of being surrounded by trees? What design features can we use to change the way we think about vegetation around the buildings? Where does the building end and landscaping start and how can we make them indistinguishable from one another?