Tukwila Fire Station 52 is the second of two new fire stations included in a 2016 bond measure to improve public safety infrastructure within the City of Tukwila. The new stations improve public safety by promoting the health, safety, and mental wellbeing of the City’s firefighters, as well as introducing a strong civic presence in the community that embodies a sense of permanence, safety, reliability, and protection.
The two stations have both been designed by Weinstein A+U using the same architectural language and are considered a “family” of buildings that have been fine-tuned to fit their respective sites and surroundings. Fire Station 52 is a two-story station with a double-height, drive-through apparatus garage, located between the existing City Hall campus and a single-family residential neighborhood. As the new headquarters station, it is used by both on-duty firefighters and the Fire Department administrative staff. Administrative offices are located on the second floor, while the fire station operational spaces are primarily located on the ground level to facilitate easy access to the apparatus bay and efficient response times.
The building form consists of a two-story brick mass broken by slots that provide relief and variety across the façade, in addition to vision glazing in strategic locations. The public entry is further articulated by a two-story glazed slot with inset doors, while the apparatus garage is showcased with recessed, full-height storefront glazing and iconic red doors. A single-story utility bar with storage, decontamination, and shop spaces borders the apparatus bays on the north side. In order to maintain the two-story mass of the building, the utility bar is topped with a tall brick parapet that will perform double-duty by concealing all of the apparatus bay mechanical equipment from the view of adjacent residential properties.
Project Team
Architect: Weinstein A+U
Client: City of Tukwila
Builder: Lydig Construction
Photography: Lara Swimmer
