Lafayette Fire Station

Lafayette, Oregon

How do we engage a community in the design of a civic project with a restricted budget?

A small, white fire station with raised apparatus bay doors, and three fire trucks inside

In 2017, FFA developed concept designs for a combined City Hall and Fire Station for the City of Lafayette in Oregon’s Yamhill Valley.  The City was able to raise funds to move forward with the much-needed fire station portion of the project, contracting with FFA again in 2019. For years, the City’s Volunteer Fire Department had been housed in a garage at city hall – a space that no longer supported the growing community’s needs.  By working closely with the Fire Chief and members of the City Council, FFA developed a building program to meet the current needs of the Department while respecting the limited budget and leaving open the possibility for future expansion.

The building’s design is based on key values uncovered during the original community engagement process. These included addressing the need for a permanent home for the Department while also creating a new space to engage with the community. The apparatus bay is designed with substantial glazing and exposed Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structural beams which showcase the rescue vehicles while also creating an inviting backdrop when the space is used for public gatherings.

Year Completed:
2021
Size:
9,646 sf
Project Contact:
Ian Gelbrich, AIA
Partner, Market Lead
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The apparatus bay of a fire department, with one vehicle inside and two fire fighters loading equipment into it.
Apparatus Bay with Mass Timber Ceiling
A woman sitting at a computer, looking out the window at two fire fighters and vehicles in the driveway.
Office and Dispatch
A woman stands at a kitchen counter in the foreground, while in the background, a man writes on a whiteboard, as a woman sitting at a large dining table looks on.
Kitchen and Break Room

The front of a fire truck with an open apparatus bay through which windows to the fire station's office can be seen

From a hallway inside the fire station, a large engine can be seen passing by the window, and a mural of an old-fashioned fire truck is painted on the wall

Two fire engines as seen from behind in the apparatus bay of the fire house
Apparatus Bay Rear Entrance

The exterior a a white fire station with a small rescue vehicle in the driveway