Architectural studio SOA Architekti has completed a new fire station in Dolní Jirčany, a village in the Prague-West District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The Prague-based studio’s design for the fire station is similar to the typology of a rural barn and combines a down-home sensibility with contemporary flair.
The station is located on a trapezoidal plot, situated between family houses and a primary school on the other side of the street. SOA Architekti’s design is both functional and aesthetic — the building’s rectangular shape and gabled roof create a visual connection with the school and its shape and height is sensitive to the surrounding developments.
“From the first sketch, the design incorporates three distinct thermal zones: exterior, garage, and building,” says SOA Architekti. “Their technical design and operational separation are an integral part of the architectural concept.” The overall fire station is designed as a steel hall covered with a translucent polycarbonate facade; a wooden building constructed from cross-laminated timber (CLT) has been placed within this steel/polycarbonate structure. The polycarbonate facade provides a visual connection with the outdoors and protects the fire engines (housed in the garage section) from the elements; the integrated wooden building provides facilities for the volunteer firefighters, including training and rest areas. A large window inserted into the eastern street-facing facade of the fire station’s garage allows passers-by a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the firehouse and the work of the firefighters.
(1. Garage; 2. Dirty changing room; 3. Shower; 4. Hallway; 5. Women’s toilet; 6. Men’s toilet; 7. Clean changing room; 8. Utility room; 9. Staircase; 10. Clean warehouse.)
The steel-framed hall’s structural elements consist of trusses and columns in rectangular sections; ventilation is provided by steel rods, facilitating natural airflow throughout the building. The garage facade is made up of a polycarbonate wall system — the polycarbonate panels include an air cavity with embedded high thermal insulation. The roof is composed of roof sandwich polyurethane panels in the PUR composition sheet; light panels are embedded in the roof above the garage area and staircase.
The solid, built-in wooden structure provides a material contrast to the fire station’s light and transparent envelope. This structure’s horizontal and vertical elements are made with CLT panels. On the garage side, these panels are insulated with wood-fiber boards and clad in pine plywood.
The fire station’s rear interior staircase is made using sheet metal cut and formed in a bent teardrop shape. The north-facing exterior staircase is made with galvanized steel.
“The project as a whole sets the stage for the effective functioning of the volunteer fire department, strengthening community cohesion and future development of the community,” says SOA Architekti.
Built-up area: 425 square meters (4,575 square feet)
Gross floor area: 594 square meters (6,394 square feet)
Usable floor area: 429 square meters (4,618 square feet)
Plot size: 1,970 square meters (21,205 square feet)
