Firestation 30

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen

FIRESTATION 30

Schacht Aslani Architects

PHOTOGRAPHS
Mike Jensen

AREA
9120.0 m2

YEAR
2011

LOVCATION
Seattle, WA, USA

CATEGORY
Fire Station

Text description provided by architect.

The civic scale of Fire Station 30 marks the transition between the commercial activity of Rainier Avenue and the residential Mt. Baker neighborhood.

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen
Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen

The scale and material presence of the two‐story building make it an anchor along historic Mt. Baker Boulevard.

The highly transparent street façade allows passers‐by to view activity within.

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen
Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen

At night, the illuminated building becomes a beacon of the Seattle Fire Department’s presence within and commitment to its community.

The station relates to nearby civic buildings while maintaining its own unique quality.

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen
Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen

Wrapped in a folded plane of copper skin, its program is revealed through a series of pulls and reliefs in this fabric.

Opaque apparatus bay doors within the transparent curtain wall are juxtaposed with the fritted station signage to create civic identity and a clear public presence.

The station accommodates both the work regimen, and the human comfort needs of its inhabitants.

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen
Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen

The compact plan and simple form of the building optimize its operational efficiency.

Room adjacencies support a place for firefighters to work, relax, rebound and enjoy the camaraderie of station life.

The fire station is constructed in a liquefaction zone. Poor soils required that a lightweight wood frame and sheet metal skin be placed atop an elevated structural slab supported by an auger‐cast pile system.

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen
Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen

A geothermal pump system services living and office areas, reducing energy operating costs.

Material finishes and products were selected based on their sustainability in terms of content, cost and maintenance requirements.

The project has achieved LEED Gold certification.

Firestation 30
© Mike Jensen


Firestation 30
Main Level Plan
Firestation 30
Upper Level Plan


Firestation 30
Sections 01
Firestation 30
Sections 02


Firestation 30
West & East Elevation
Firestation 30
North & South Elevation