Muscatine’s small, aging fire station couldn’t handle a planned increase in service area, so they brought in INVISION to create a new design that accommodated both immediate and future growth within a modest budget. The team decided that the project’s limited resources would be spent on strategic aspects to maximize the benefits. Unique site constraints on three sides, as well as sandy soil conditions, posed challenges when developing programmatic spaces and planning the site.
The team worked together to devise a planning solution that positioned the apparatus bay nearest to the railroad to act as a buffer for the living areas in the facility. INVISION worked to integrate the living and work spaces throughout the building, while still clearly designating the living spaces as private to provide security.
Load-bearing, insulated, precast concrete panels were chosen for the structure at the apparatus bay because they served multiple purposes:
- Vertical structure
- Durable interior and exterior wall finish
- Building thermal envelope
To blend in with the traditional character of the building’s context, familiar materials were utilized in atypical ways. Therefore, the finished design still presents a unique aesthetic without clashing with its surroundings.
