Tukwila Fire Station 51

Tukwila, WA

Weinstein A+U was chosen by the City of Tukwila to design multiple new fire stations as part of a 2016 bond measure passed to improve their public safety infrastructure. To create a “family” of stations located in disparate neighborhoods, the team developed an architectural language of massive brick walls and vertical metal slots, meant to emphasize the strength and stability of the department. The bold division of thick brick walls with full-height glazing, the high contrast color scheme, and super-scaled station identification are easily legible to people passing by in cars, while the entry signage, module and coursing of the brick, and the variation of the masonry surface are appreciable to visitors approaching on foot.

The station is located along the busy Southcenter Parkway. Rather than attempt to fit in with its surroundings, the station was designed to stand out against the sea of big box stores and loading docks, creating a pleasant oasis for the firefighters and a civic identity for residents and visitors alike. The building needed to represent safety to the outside, but also create safety for those working inside. The design team collaborated heavily with the firefighters who would eventually be using the station on a day-to-day basis. The firefighters asked for an efficient building that supported their training and minimized response times, but also for a refuge where they could rest and refresh between stressful calls. Natural light and open spaces were therefore a priority of the design, as was shielding the firefighters from the traffic and bustle of Southcenter to the east. The operational support areas and bunk rooms were oriented to the apparatus bay to provide safe and efficient response times, day or night, while the daytime areas of the station were organized around a central courtyard that connects them to each other and to the restorative landscape beyond.

The site design of the station encourages human interaction with the building and community connection to the Fire Department by creating an inviting place to pause along Southcenter Parkway. A wedge-shaped walkway leads from the street to the lobby, past generous seat walls and native landscaping. Once a visitor enters the lobby, they are greeted by a cantilevered bench and a wall-mounted slab, repurposed from a Bigleaf Maple tree that grew nearby and fell during the early months of planning this station. For generations, the maple stood as a natural icon for the City, providing beautiful fall color and refreshing summertime shade. A mural above the lobby bench reinterprets tree rings into a timeline for the City and Fire Department, identifying key events and dates in their history. Inspired by their use at this station, slabs from the tree can now be found in civic buildings across the City, connecting them to each other and to the region’s history.

Recognition
AIA Washington Civic Design Awards, Honorable Mention, 2022
Masonry Institute of Washington, Excellence in Masonry Awards, Silver Award, 2023
FIERO Fire Station Design Awards Program, Honor Award, 2023

Photography: Lara Swimmer

Client
City of Tukwila

Data
Neighborhood station
2 apparatus bays
6 bunk rooms

Completed
2020

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