Fire Station No.13
Stockton, California

Located in a new residential neighborhood, the 8,000 square-foot Fire Station 13 is the first new fire station to be built by the City of Stockton in more than a decade. 

One of the primary aesthetic requirements of the City was that the building blend in with its residential neighborhood, yet not look like a typical tract house. Because it is a public facility, the use of durable, easily maintained materials, was also a requirement.

To ensure that the facility would meet occupant expectations, LDA Partners, LLP facilitated user-group committee meetings to gain program consensus and to ensure firefighter ownership of the concepts behind the new building.

Recognizing that a fire station is really a combination of two separate spaces, an apparatus bay, and a dormitory residence, LDA Partners, LLP determined that it would be more cost effective to utilize separate structural systems that compliment each primary component. The construction solution incorporates a hybrid structural system, designed to deliver maximum serviceability while minimizing costs.

A pre-engineered metal building frame was used for the long-span apparatus bay, while conventional wood framing methods were employed for the station’s residential area. The hybrid approach resulted in the delivery of the project unde budget.

The exterior palette of Fire Station #13 is composed of three main materials – CMU, metal siding, and stucco.  A CMU wainscot is wrapped around the apparatus bay ensuring interior and  exterior durability. Horizontal metal siding designates the dorm wing of the station. Each dorm room has an operable window for individual comfort.

In addition to the typical dormitory and day-room spaces, the facility also features a community meeting room that can be used by neighborhood residents.

Green building features of Fire Station 13 include low-water-use plantings, occupant-sensor-controlled lighting, recycled-content steel siding and sun-reflective “cool” roofing to minimize heat gain.