Page 49 - THE FIRE STATION
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THE FIRE STATION IN ENSCHEDE (NL), 2003-2007 The meeting rooms and classrooms form a unit with the lobby and
are located on the east side of the main building on the first floor.
The site is alongside the Zuiderval, a main north-south artery
linking the A35 with the centre of Enschede. The gym is also two (second and third) floors high and is located
at the building’s north-west corner.The second floor is used for the
Particularly striking is the site’s open and green character, high- firemen’s living and sleeping quarters, while the third floor is used
lighted by the careful layout of the public spaces.The site itself, for offices. A glazed volume attached to the main building contains
75 metres from north to south and 100 metres from east to west, the lift, staircase and the fireman’s pole. Balconies run along the
is laid out as a park, featuring incredible trees including magnifi- sides of the second and third floors, serving – together with the
cent birch, plane and oak trees. separate emergency staircases – as the building’s fire exit.They
also protect the wooden facades from direct rain and offer easy
The building itself is L-shaped.The 4-floor main building flanks the access to the facades for maintenance work.
site’s northern rim, while a smaller wing at right angles to the main
wing extends along the east side. In both Houten and Enschede, Philippe Samyn has taken account
of the location’s characteristics and nature: a problem neighbour-
The building’s entrance is at the junction of the two wings.The hood, a wooded park, a fire station for both professionals and
vehicle garage is located on the ground floor of the main building, volunteers, the building’s orientation, sustainability, etc.
in an entirely glazed space two floors high, with glazed doors and
room for 13 firefighting vehicles.The changing rooms and showers Both fire stations similarly feature structural and organisational
offer access to the other wing, where the workshops and store- elements of major importance for their optimal functioning:
rooms are located. distinct functional zones, a core volume meeting traffic flow
and lighting requirements, speed of construction, etc.
The fire station in Enschede (NL). Ground-floor plan and sections. (Ref. 01 | 450)
