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Fire stations of the world: Fire Station Doetinchem in The Netherlands
A new home for Achterhoek West Fire Brigade. Fire Station Doetinchem is 24 hours operational and the building houses a mix of functions for working, living and sleeping facilities. Doetinchem is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands. It is situated along the Oude IJssel River in a part of the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek. The municipality has a population of 57 555 (2019) and consists of an area of 79,66km² of which 0,61 km² is water. Fire Station Doetinchem houses several functions with a variety of appearance and atmosphere: the sheltered area for the fire engines and appliance, the workshops and car wash on the ground floor, the bedrooms on the first floor and on the upper layer the offices, work-café, fitness room and living areas. Because of the high transparency, there is an abundance of daylight coming into the building. The big windows ensure panoramic views of the green surroundings. The various vistas create different views and unexpected perspectives; For instance the sheltered area for the fire trucks can be viewed from the locker room on the first floor and from the hall the fire trucks can be seen. A striking feature of the interior is the majestic staircase that connects all floors and functions. Alongside the staircase is a light wooden wall which folds around the service unit on the top floor. The office floor is fully developed in accordance with the new way of working, with open office spaces and flexible furnishing. Cohesion and identity are created by a variation in materials: glass, brick, wood, embossed concrete and natural patterns. On the upper floor roof gardens, patios and terraces provide the building of its specific sculptural expression, creating outdoor spaces with their own specific identity. Huge cantilevers form a sheltered area for the fire trucks, anchoring the building in its surroundings.
A spatial development with various vistas makes the organisation clear and transparent, allowing visitors a glimpse of the dynamic environment of the fire station. The robust brick building is designed as a villa in the green and has obtained an A+ energy label. It is embedded in its ecological structure, situated next to an important route for bats. Functionality, sustainability and environmental integration have been the leading design themes during the process. Fire Station Doetinchem combines sustainability, functionality and an attractive working and living environment in a green oasis. It is designed as a villa, integrated in the landscape. It is a green oasis situated alongside the major thoroughfare in Doetinchem. The horizontally oriented building is surrounded by majestic trees and has clear, crisp lines and surfaces. The grass of the surrounding countryside is pulled over the building in a large slope and evolves into a series of roof gardens and patios on top of the sheltered area for the fire trucks. Because of the slope, the exercise facilities are hidden from view, thus guaranteeing a green environment. The Netherlands Fire Service is the organisation under which all the Dutch fire brigades work together, headed by the Board of Fire Chiefs (Raad van Brandweercommandanten). This board consists of the 25 fire chiefs of the security regions. The board has an executive committee with a chairman and six programme heads. The various programme heads are responsible for individual areas of the National Fire Services Programme (Landelijk Programma Brandweerzorg):
Source: ArchDaily |
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