Client: Ventura County Fire Department

17,219 SF
Site: Developing 2.5 of 5 acres

Inspired by the area’s agricultural and industrial vernacular, the station design consists of a collection of simple gable building forms arranged around a private courtyard to provides a modern facility to serve the Heritage Valley area of Ventura County while providing a comfortable environment for the firefighters stationed there. Program pieces include a three-bay garage, three-bay pull-through apparatus bay and supporting uses, 4,810 SF of living quarters with nine single occupant dorm rooms, three private restrooms and 2,359 SF of offices and training room/ incident command post. Each use gets its own simple massing in its arrangement around the courtyard. Each area of the station was designed with a clear separation of the uses between the clean living and office side and the dirty apparatus bay and shop spaces. The dirty or “hot” side includes its own separate restroom for cleanup to help isolate contaminants. The training room and offices front the street to provide a public face to the station and help buffer the living areas from the closest road. 29 KW photovoltaic carport and enclosed working yard space help separate the living areas from the adjacent park. Generous Native and Adapted Landscaping around the perimeter of the site form a demonstration garden for appropriate fire safe landscaping. Stormwater runoff was minimized using porous surfaces, bioswales and infiltration systems to comply with state water quality. Additional Sustainable features include an energy efficient HVAC System, Highly Insulated Exterior Envelope and Ventilated Facades. A rainwater collection system for runoff from roughly half the building roof area and from washing fire engines, divert water to a cistern for irrigation of onsite planted areas.