Lafayette Fire Station

How do we engage a community in the design of a civic project with a restricted budget?

Project Info

In 2017, FFA Architecture and Interiors, Inc. developed concept designs for a combined City Hall and Fire Station for the City of Lafayette in Oregon’s Yamhill Valley.  The City was able to raise funds to move forward with the much-needed fire station portion of the project, contracting with FFA again in 2019. For years, the City’s Volunteer Fire Department had been housed in a garage at city hall – a space that no longer supported the growing community’s needs.  By working closely with the Fire Chief and members of the City Council, FFA developed a building program to meet the current needs of the Department while respecting the limited budget and leaving open the possibility for future expansion.

The building’s design is based on key values uncovered during the original community engagement process. These included addressing the need for a permanent home for the Department while also creating a new space to engage with the community. The apparatus bay is designed with substantial glazing and exposed Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structural beams which showcase the rescue vehicles while also creating an inviting backdrop when the space is used for public gatherings.