Fire trucks and doors: 48 perfect marriages
The new fire station at Charleroi, Belgium by Samyn and Partners.
Architect Phillippe Samyn talks about his award-winning fire station
Architect Phillippe Samyn talks about his award-winning fire station
When the fire service approached Samyn and Partners about plans for a new firestation in the post industrial town of Charleroi – half an hour from Brussels – their priority was to reduce emergency response times. With its unimpeded traffic flow for fire trucks, 48 lightweight glass doors, and village-like living environment for over 100 firemen, the final building went way beyond expectations. Entry talked to celebrated Belgian architect Philippe Samyn to find out what issues he faced during the design process and, of course, how he solved them.
A simple approach to sustainability
Philippe Samyn's attitude to sustainability is that all architects should know the weight of their buildings. “Resources are scarce,” explains Samyn. “So the fewer materials you use, the better you preserve the planet.” You get a feeling for what he means when you look at the facade of his fire station at Charleroi. It is made up of two main elements. At ground level, 48 glass overhead doors shelter 48 fire service vehicles.
Arranged in an unbroken circle, the lightweight glass doors almost make it look as though the building is floating. “We tried to make the simplest, least expensive, operational, sustainable door,” says Samyn. And the door's combination of slenderness and strength certainly brings a lightness to the building that expresses the sustainable intent of the overall design.
Somewhere to exercise - and relax
Compliance isn’t always linked to building regulations – at least not directly. In the case of the fire station at Charleroi, the firemen in active service need to achieve a certain level of fitness. They are on site and on call for up to three days at a stretch. So, they need somewhere to exercise and somewhere to relax. Philippe Samyn calls the fire station “... A real village with sleeping rooms, living rooms, a big sports hall and a roof garden where the firemen can eat and grow vegetables.” And because the fire station is circular in plan, the running track on the roof is infinite.
Liveable and joyful
The building's circular form slots seamlessly into its hillsite site, keeping watch over the Belgian town of Charleroi. Its outgoing, vigilant character is given further expression through the 48 glass doors that clad the facade at groundle vel. The doors can be raised in an instant to release fire trucks and ambulances into service. But the functionality of the doors is only half the story.
"There are many suppliers who can give you good doors", says Samyn. "The difference is in the refinement of the door - technically and aesthetically". The sleek lines of the ASSA ABLOY overhead doors lend the building lightness during daylight hours and transparency at night. And the result is a liveable interior environment in harmony with the environment beyond its walls - or, more accurately, its doors.
A door can be the starting point for design
The firemen wanted to be able to drive straight out of the fire station as fast as possible – and didn’t want to have to use reverse gear to get the fire truck back into position. One of the key concerns was to gain seconds – crucial in the race to save lives. The firestation's circular form means that all 48 vehicles, each with their own overhead door, can be ready for action at any moment. Not only that, returning vehicles can enter and drive back into position without causing an obstruction.
Go into greater detail with more efficiency
Since January 1st 2016, Samyn and Partners has been using BIM on every design project. Using BIM means that every member of a 30-strong design team, including everyone from geologists to local historians, has instant access to each other’s knowledge as well as all the design work up to that point. “It is very exciting because everybody discovers a better means of communicating,” says Samyn. With more open, free-flowing communication between all parties, the design process is not only more efficient.
It can actually go into more detail – detail that can be shared and understood by more people. And that includes the client. Samyn explains: “Every architect should use BIM to help them turn their clients' visions into truly livable buildings.” His take on the BIM revolution is simple: that the more we can harness sophisticated software, the more we are free to build sustainable modern buildings with locally sourced hardware such as mud, bamboo and rope.
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