RUSSELLVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT CENTRAL STATION
Russellville, Arkansas
Completed 2018
The new Central Fire Station is a command center for the Russellville, Arkansas Fire Department. Complying with the City of Russellville’s downtown master plan and designed to context of the downtown historic buildings, the new station is a three-story complex on a zero-lot line site, taking full advantage of the buildable site.
The new station will serve to stitch the downtown fabric of the city back together after years of sprawl and disuse. New sidewalks and streetscaping connect the site to Arkansas Tech University in the north and a bustling downtown to the south and east. The building’s architecture extends to the property line on the north, south, and east sides, emphasizing the city block and giving a street edge to pedestrians.
Functions of the building are divided by floors and connected through stairs, an elevator, and fire poles, designed to minimize response times and to minimize tracking contaminants into the living and working environment.
The first floor contains a main apparatus and auxiliary apparatus, with a large training room and offices in between. The second floor is living space for the firefighters, with bunk rooms, a day room, kitchen, gym, and small exterior patio. The third floor serves the administration and is comprised of offices, a large co-working space, a conference room, and storage. There is a large outdoor area located on the third floor, which functions as a green space for the living quarters and the offices. Because the site was so restrictive and the building expands to the edges of the property line, this exterior patio was an important space for the firefighters to decompress.
Extensive façade studies were completed on the downtown fabric of Russellville, and the lessons and proportions learned in those studies were applied to the new station. The exterior of the building is a combination of masonry and architectural composite metal panel dividing up the massing, and windows allowing natural light into the living spaces. The building stands as a modern interpretation of the existing historic buildings in the area.
Building security was a major consideration during the design process, and the facility is equipped with cameras and access control to ensure safety of the residents and workers.
The Central Fire Station for Russellville, Arkansas will be a modern upgrade and expansion to the local fire department, ensuring proper facilities to protect the City’s residents.
