The Fire Department of New York and the NYC Department of Design and Construction have completed construction on the Greenpoint Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Station, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The two-story, 12,400 square foot facility that supports FDNY ambulance crews and vehicles has a strong, distinctive form occupying a prominent site in the rapidly developing neighborhood.
The programmatic needs of the EMS Station prompted a split-level massing concept. The station’s requirements led to a four-part division of the facility. Since the space for housing vehicles calls for a higher ceiling height than in the rest of station, one side of the station is taller than the other and that change helps organize its functions. On the east side of the ground floor there are spaces for four vehicles and a vehicle support zone. At the west, in the lower bay, are the lieutenant’s office, captain’s office and other administrative space.
A double-height entry at the center coincides with the split in section, creating a strong arrival area that allows natural light deep into the building. The expressed form of the connecting stair and the continuous translucent glass second floor volume provide this civic building with a strong presence in its urban context.
Above the vehicle bay on the second floor are the locker rooms and bathrooms for the 54 women and 97 men who maintain the station’s three shifts. Across the atrium, to the west are a fitness facility, training room, and 700 square foot combined kitchen and lounge area. The ground floor sectional shift repeats at the roof line and is marked with a skylight that extends the depth of the building. This break in the massing articulates the entry sequence, opens views between the interior program areas and permits daylight to penetrate deep into the space. Low iron glass types change in opacity as movement through the building transitions from public to private.
Material Used :
1. Panelite - Insulated glass units with honeycomb inserts
2. Okalux - IGU with perforated panel insert
3. Rheinzink – Zinc vertical wall panels
4. Trendstone – Ground-faced CMU block –
5. Hydrotech - roofing
6. Polished concrete floors
7. Forbo Marmoleum – Linoleum tile
8. Tectum – Wood fiber ceiling
9. Nederman – Vehicles exhaust system
10. Mark lighting, Legion lighting, Cooper lighting – Lighting
