Eugene’s fire department leadership as well as planning staff were downright giddy during design of Eugene’s flagship downtown fire station; here was a rare opportunity to both reinvigorate a prominent corner of downtown and also create a landmark building reflecting the pride of the department.
To that end, the design team worked closely with the line firefighters and City stakeholders to achieve three main objectives: create a strong urban presence, employ principles of sustainable design, and create a building with character and quality reflecting the unique culture of the department and the firefighting profession.
The prominent front entry of the building is located along Willamette Street — Eugene’s historic “Main Street.” The building is purposefully situated close to the public sidewalk to reinforce the street edge and the apparatus doors facing the street are fully glazed to enhance the streetscape. At night, the clerestory windows in the entry tower radiate light from inside serving as a “beacon of safety” within the heart of the city.
