Award

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 | 69 Nanaimo Fire Station #1 R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E S Y S2 A RC H I T EC T U R E NANAIMO FIRE STATION #1 by NATALIE BRUCKNER P edestrians walking past Nanaimo's busiest fire station will notice a dramatic differ- ence these days. Gone is the aging 1966 building and in its place stands a con- temporary three-storey civic building and flagship fire station that is home to Fire Rescue Operations, Emergency Operations Centre, and Fire Rescue Command/Business Centre. From the outset it was decided that rather than be an imitation of historic typologies or dated icons of firefighter stations, the building should instead convey a sense of departure from the previous fire station. "The old building reflected the architectural style and communi- ty's aspirations at that time, but it was nearing the end of its functional life when the City began planning to build a new Fire Station #1," explains fire chief Tim Doyle. "We needed a structure that would survive a seismic event and serve the com- munity when we are most needed." Using this as a springboard, S2 Architecture set about to design a building that would not only be state- of-the-art, be built to post-disaster standards, and engage with its sur- roundings and community, but would also contain a subtle playful element. "We highlighted this station as an obvious 'beacon' to help people under- stand where the station was and to use it as an orienting element in the city," explains Linus Murphy, architect at S2 Architecture. Every little detail on this building has been carefully considered; from the asymmetric panels on the walls that emulate waves flowing from the shore and the yellow band that floats around between the main and second floor that resembles the shoreline, to the dark base and windows along the base and the gold eyebrow that wraps around part of the building, both of which are a nod to the area's coal min- ing history. Also, to take advantage of the beau- tiful view, S2 designed the larger more expansive windows to look out to the harbour. "This means that when walking or driving up the street from the harbour, the building rises above the adjacent structures to be seen as a destination," says Murphy. As a mark of respect to the Snuneymuxw First Nation on whose unceded territory Nanaimo lies – and recognition of the ongoing work toward reconciliation – the City con- tracted Noel Brown to design and carve a Welcome Pole to be located in the southwest corner of the site. Thought was also given to the pedestrian experience, which Murphy explains is reminiscent of walking along the historic streets in Nanaimo. "We maintained a decidedly mod- ern aesthetic in contrast to the retail buildings along the walk from the harbour," Murphy adds. Achieving all this, and more, on what was a very tight site, was quite incredible. Perhaps, just as incredible was the fact that "demolition activ- ity for the build was phased so that Nanaimo Fire Rescue could con- tinue to operate out of the existing facilities while the new building was constructed," explains Mark Bullen, partner at Capex Project Advisory. This insightful strategy helped mitigate a lot of the disruption that Nanaimo Fire Rescue was facing with the development of the project in terms of having to move out to a tem- porary swing space. "It also provided the opportunity to construct a large concrete apron in front of the new facility that allows the fire trucks to turn around on the property rather than in the road, which is safer and more convenient," adds Bullen. On entering the building there is a natural flow for reduced turnout time [the time it takes from first hearing an alarm to the time a vehicle has left the building]. Doyle explains that inside, the building basically has two func- tional zones: the apparatus bays, where the fire trucks are stored and maintained; and the adjacent accommodation block, with the crew living quarters and office accom- modation including the City's new Emergency Operations Centre. The floor plan had to take into con- sideration the height of the apparatus bays, which are dictated by the num- ber and size of the fire trucks. As a result, the apparatus bay is approxi- mately two-storeys high and takes up much of the ground floor on the site. The accommodation block in con- trast has a lot more flexibility, as Doyle

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