Steveston Fire Hall

When it comes to response times in a fire, every second counts. This was a key design consideration for Steveston Fire Hall No. 2 in Richmond, British Columbia – how to maximize the efficiency of layouts, create a “home away from home” for firefighters, and meet strict sustainability and post-disaster standards.

Remaining operational during construction, the new fire hall replaced an ageing station that could no longer meet the needs of the community. The new hall houses two truck bays and ancillary spaces, along with a 39m hose-drying and training tower.

The design team challenged traditional fire hall programming by holistically integrating the apparatus bays and living/support spaces. This approach maximized visual connections – a crucial factor to hasten decision making and circulation throughout the building. Moreover, it was one of the first projects in BC to use “moderately ductile masonry shear walls”, a new code requirement for post-disaster fire halls.

Fast + Epp’s engineers are recognized for their ability to holistically integrate mechanical, acoustic and electrical systems into our structural design considerations. At Steveston Fire Hall, we paid careful attention to conceal these systems within the exposed nail-laminated wood panels to ensure the apparatus bays remained uncluttered.