When one of the oldest and largest volunteer fire departments in the state of Indiana was coping with the failing infrastructure of their existing fire station, the Synthesis design team worked with the fire department and the City of Rensselaer to design and construct a new community centered fire station, reverent of tradition and focused on the future.
As the Jasper County seat, Rensselaer plays a significant role in the surrounding communities, and with their help, the new fire station incorporates spaces that invite and accommodate those communities. A training/conference room and museum offer opportunities for the firemen and others to learn. Updated communication systems increase coordination between departments. Convenient site access and size caters to the crowds that attend the fire department’s annual pancake fundraiser, in addition to other community events.
A strict budget was determined, and so we leveraged the fiscal and structural efficiencies of a pre-engineered metal building in order to design a structure the client was able to build. The new Rensselaer Fire Station met the user’s programmatic needs while providing for growth and change in the coming years and decades. Additional space for future equipment, sleeping rooms, and general growth was incorporated into the design, ensuring this facility can adapt and evolve with its users. Maximizing budgets is a part of the creative solutions Synthesis brings.
The architecture, typified by the form of the pre-engineered metal building, is formal and stately in its approach. The brick base gives weight and permanence to the building, while the metal panel clerestory and roof proportion the form and reduce its perceived scale on the open site. The formal portico entry addresses the road, ushering in visitors and communicating the fire station’s service to the community. The red and white masonry and metal panel manifests community pride by invoking the local school’s colors.