Architecture Firm:
Weinstein A|U Architects + Urban Designers LLC
Completion Date:
2008
Project Format (not yet built / built):
Built
Project Size (sf / site acreage):
63,000-sf
Project Location:
Seattle, WA
Budget ($/sq Ft, optional):
38 million
Interior Designer:
N/A
General Contractor:
Hoffman Construction
Landscape Designer:
Gustafson Guthrie Nichol
Lighting Consultant:
Candela
Structural Engineer:
Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Mechanical Engineer:
Notkin
Electrical Engineer:
Sparling
Commissioning Agent:
Keithly Barber Associates, Inc.
Air Quality Consultant:
N/A
Civil Engineer:
Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Other:
Acoustics: SSA Acoustics, Sustainability Consultant: Paladino, Security: Kroll International, Specifications: Lottie Eskilsson
Owner:
City of Seattle
Sustainable Sites:
The existing downtown Seattle site was utilized as a surface parking lot and was 100% impervious. All site run-off flowed untreated without flow control from the parking surface to the City’s combined sewer/storm system. The existing site soils were contaminated from the remains of the historic Seattle fire and a former gas station.
The integration of a sloping site with the requirements of the complex technical program provided the basis for the building’s organization. The flat, six bay drive through fire apparatus portion of the program connects points of similar elevation on the cross slope. The fire station residences are above the long span equipment bay. The other program areas saddle bag the apparatus bay on the high and low sides. The Fire Alarm Center/ 911 dispatch facility sit atop the Emergency Operations Center on the upper portion of the site buffering the adjacent residential uses form the fire station. The north parking lot is also the excavated footprint for a future City administration building
The resulting site design returns more than 20% of the site to pervious with the use of planters and vegetated roof areas. The site contamination was fully remediated. Storm run-off from the parking apron and vegetated roof area is treated and flow is now controlled with the storm system. The storm-water from non-vegetated roof areas is collected in an underground cistern for re-use. This cistern also collects process water from on-site for department hose drilling.
Toward Zero Energy:
Reduced energy dependence fundamentally aligns with the performance requirements of the program and its need to maximize independent operation during a disaster. The project initially focused on creating a higher performing building envelope constructed with additional insulation and high performance glazing to reduce HVAC loads and the provision of day lighting in occupied spaces to reduce lighting and HVAC loads.
The project does not provide on-site renewable energy systems, though an onsite back-up generator is provided that supports all technology, HVAC, lighting, critical equipment and most plug loads in the facility. On-site fuel storage accommodates 72-hours of building operation. There is provision for an additional portable back-up generator to be connected to the facility for additional redundancy. Though currently provided with diesel fuel, the equipment has the ability to run on bio-based fuel sources when the City so chooses.
Local and Sustainable Materials:
The facility uses simple materials in a purposeful manner. As an essential facility, the increased seismic performance required a larger area of concrete shear walls. These walls were left exposed as a low maintenance durable interior finish. The facility also uses many of the structural floor slabs as the interior floor finish with dyes and a light polished finish.
All interior wood doors have agri-fiber cores with no added urea-formaldehyde. All custom casework substrates are particleboard with no added urea-formaldehyde. Some finished casework includes sunflower seed board. The steel, metal siding, gypsum board and cement/concrete are all locally produced.
Sustainable Water:
The firefighters require periodic equipment tests and drills. Previously, these hose tests were conducted off site. In the new facility, the team will use an on-site fire hydrant and spray the rear wall of the apron where a trench drain will collect the water in a cistern that also collects water from the roof. The cistern supplies all the water required for the landscaping and for washing the fire trucks. Regular storm water is also mitigated by the new facility. A 15,000-sf vegetated roof will reduce heat gain to the building and slow down water before it enters the storm system. The topographic modifications—20% non-paved areas of the site and green roof—together dampen and reduce storm water events.
Programmatic and code requirements provided the impetus for an integrated design. However, and more importantly, the integrated design solutions serve to amplify and amend the practices of the building occupants while minimizing their impact on resources.
IEQ and Comfort:
The daylight strategies and improved indoor air quality align with the program: these strategies help amend the inherently stressful work environment for employees in the 911 call centers and Emergency Operations Center. Skylights top the Center and solar control devices help articulate and shade glazed apertures.
The mechanical equipment provides the much higher HEPA filtration. All operations rooms have acoustic treatment throughout with the use of laminated glazing and fabric wrapped acoustical panels.
Collective Wisdom and Feedback:
The level of technical systems integration required to realize a facility with this high level of information technology serving critical public safety response functions required significant focus on the part of the whole project team. Clear and consistent communication of the project priorities and goals is required through design and construction of the project with so many constituents. Connecting sustainability to performance to program was essential to have buy-in from participants with so many points of view.
Regional/Community Design:
The Fire Station 10 Replacement project utilized its full arts budget on publicly accessible public art along each of its three street frontages.
The southwest corner of the building, facing 4th Avenue South and South Washington Street, presents the public face of the FS10 project and the main entrance to the building. The 26-foot-high window at this corner is the first image people will see as they enter downtown Seattle from 4th Avenue South. An urban plaza draws visitors into the FS10 lobby. The 20-foot wide landscaping along 5th Avenue South incorporates artwork that enhances the public’s experience of place. Further east on South Washington Street, red steel and glass doors provide clear visibility of the company’s fire equipment, as it stands ready to respond to calls from the neighborhood. Just beyond the apparatus apron a series of stepped “pleats” of concrete provide platforms for several steel sentinels. These abstract forms of varying sizes recall a time when the district had its own firefighters and Asian firefighter forms animated the streets. The south-facing plaza formed by the pleats and sentinels offers a public place in what will certainly become a dense section of the city.
Internally, the information technology of this facility is thoroughly connected to the City, County, State and Federal information spaces.
