A minimalist and fully functional fire station? The Czechs have shown that it is possible. They built a modern fire station building in the municipality of Psáry in the Czech Republic. The building was designed by architects from the SOA architekti office.
When designing the building, the architects wanted to refer to the traditional buildings of the region. The shape of the building is reminiscent of a country barn. The rectangular shape and gabled roof of the building also create a visual link with the primary school across the street.
The fire station was built on the outskirts of the village of Dolní Jirčany with direct access to the transport infrastructure, which provides the firefighters with a convenient location for fast interventions.
The building was constructed on an almost triangular plot of land between the family houses and the primary school. Its shape and height take into account the proximity of other buildings. The building not only fulfils a functional role, but also an aesthetic one – it creates a symbolic transition between the character of the houses and the public school.
The fire station was built as a steel hall covered with a transparent polycarbonate façade, in which a ‘second’ wooden building was placed. The polycarbonate façade provides a visual connection to the surroundings and protection for the fire engines from the rain. The wooden structure, on the other hand, is the element used by the firefighters – it includes a utility room, a social room and a toilet.
The hall structure is steel-framed with trusses and rectangular columns. The minimalist façade is formed by a polycarbonate wall system with thermal insulation. The solid and compact built-in timber structure counterbalances the light and transparent shell of the fire station. The volunteer fire station facility designed in this way now serves the entire local community.
design: SOA architekti
team of architects: Ondřej Píhrt, Štefan Šulek, Ondřej Laciga, Kateřina Luftová, Štěpán Tomš, Marie Hojná
photography: Alex Shoots Buildings
Read also: Interesting facts | Featured | Czech Republic | Minimalism | whiteMAD on Instagram
