PROJECT HIGHLIGHT: Janesville Fire Station 2014

13-097_BLDG-27_TimF-02_0004_Flattened-NoLogo_2400px.png

Janesville Fire Station - Existing_HalfSize_2400px.png

13-097_BLDG-27_TimF-02_0006_Flattened-NoLogo_2400px.png

13-097_BLDG-27_TimF-06_0016_Flattened-NoLogo_2400px.png

13-097_BLDG ELEVS-03_North&South Elevations_01_2400px.png

13-097_BLDG-27_TimF-02_0007_Flattened-NoLogo_2400px.png

13-097_BLDG-27_TimF-06_0017_Flattened-NoLogo_2400px.png

13-097_BLDG-27_TimF-06_0019_Flattened-NoLogo_2400px.png

PROJECT BACKGROUND: The City of Janesville, Wisconsin needed a new and expanded fire station to replace an existing outdated facility, which had exceeded its designed capacity for equipment & vehicles, and was not originally intended to accommodate firefighters of both genders.

ADG Architects / Five Bugles Design (Eau Claire, WI) asked Geometrik Studio to explore an exterior design concept for the new replacement building.

Five Bugles Design is renowned for their elegant traditionally styled fire stations, but for this project, they wanted to try something with a more contemporary aesthetic. Initial schematic design work had been prepared by ADG during a lengthy and arduous planning process lasting more than a year. This made it necessary for us to constrain design work to the exterior skin only, without altering the interior planned schematic design by more than a few inches.

Typical of the Geometrik Studio process, computer visualization played a key role in the development of the design. The use of 3D modeling & rendering was key to the exploration of translucent materials and illumination to emphasize the idea of the building as a beacon of light at night.

Ultimately, responsibility for the project design was returned to ADG, who were asked to deliver a final design with a very basic, traditional form that met stringent budgetary (and political) constraints. Our presentation rendering of the final design: