In Southern California’s Rancho Mission Viejo (RMV), Fire Station 67 has been designed and constructed as a prefab, modular build—enabling faster completion and future reconfiguration.
Designed by Seattle-based Wittman Estes, the 4,667-sf station was prefabricated offsite as 10 modules that were then assembled onsite. The offsite fabrication and rapid assembly led to a streamlined design, documentation, and permitting process. This approach allowed for parallel site development work in California and factory construction in Nevada, resulting in a construction timeline of six months.Â
Fire Station 67: Modular System
The modular system also allows for relocation and reconfiguration. The sturdy, durable steel modules can be easily transported and rearranged for possible future uses, such as an environmental learning center for RMV.
Fire Station 67 includes a vehicle bay for two fire trucks, six sleeping rooms, a day room, kitchen/dining room, dispatch/workspace, and a captain’s office. The 12-foot modules were assembled around a shaded, semi-protected central courtyard.
Construction Strategy
The building configuration enables the firefighters to serve the public quickly while also feeling calm and privacy. The north-facing public entry, captain’s office, and dispatch room face the neighborhood. The more active areas, including break room, kitchen, and fitness rooms, face east toward the firetrucks. And the sleeping rooms and bathrooms are located in a quiet zone in the west. The firetruck bay is painted bright red, while the interior spaces have a neutral, tranquil palette.
In response to climate change and the rising risk of wildfires, the prefab structure is clad in fireproof, corrugated steel siding. To improve indoor air quality, Wittman Estes designed an open-air apparatus bay to bring in fresh outside air and eliminate the need for large exhaust machines.
On the Building Team:
Clients: Orange County Fire Authority and Rancho Mission Viejo
Architect: Wittman Estes
Interior designer: Birsel+Seck
Structural engineer: DCI Engineers
Landscape architect: Land Concern
Civil engineer: Fuscoe Engineering
GC: Xtreme CubesÂ
Related Stories
| Oct 30, 2013
11 hot BIM/VDC topics for 2013
If you like to geek out on building information modeling and virtual design and construction, you should enjoy this overview of the top BIM/VDC topics.
| Oct 28, 2013
Urban growth doesn’t have to destroy nature—it can work with it
Our collective desire to live in cities has never been stronger. According to the World Health Organization, 60% of the world’s population will live in a city by 2030. As urban populations swell, what people demand from their cities is evolving.
| Oct 23, 2013
Some lesser-known benefits of metal buildings
While the durability of metal as a construction material is widely recognized, some of its other advantages are less commonly acknowledged and appreciated. Â
| Oct 18, 2013
Meet the winners of BD+C's $5,000 Vision U40 Competition
Fifteen teams competed last week in the first annual Vision U40 Competition at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco. Here are the five winning teams, including the $3,000 grand prize honorees.
| Oct 18, 2013
Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal
When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread.Â
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.Â
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 4, 2013
Smart building technology: Talking results at the BUILDINGChicago/ Greening the Heartland show
Recent advancements in technology are allowing owners to connect with facilities as never before, leveraging existing automation systems to achieve cost-effective energy improvements. This BUILDINGChicago presentation will feature Procter & Gamble’s smart building management program.Â
