The fire station, consists of a six-storeys building block accommodating a four-bays appliance room with ancillary and supporting facilities. A single-storey urban search and rescue equipment store is positioned at the boundary facing Kwun Tong Bypass to serve as an environmental buffer between the drill yard.
Being situated in a prominent location at the entrance of the ‘Gateway’ leading to the world-class Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the design is aimed at making some distinctions from a typical fire station. The concepts of ‘greening’ and ‘harmony’ atmosphere are integrated into the design as a break-through in the typical setting of such an operational building.
Ample plantings including vertical greening and stacked planters are blended on the elevations. Continuous planters along the boundary edge further soften the rectilinear and angled building form and minimize visual impact of the building mass.
A ‘harmony’ ambience is applied in the finishes, color scheme and interior design to create a comfortable environment for resting after rescue operation. Various pocket spaces and terraces with greening serve as communal areas, to allow interactions and establish good rapport among different ranks of staff.
A high green coverage of 43% is achieved by providing multiple planters and vertical greening above ground level and green roofs. Natural daylight is brought into the interior space by large windows and skylights composed of heat insulating glass, solar tubes and balconies. Sun-shading fins are installed on the West-facing external wall to minimize power consumption of air-conditioning. Renewable energy facilities adopted include solar hot water system, photovoltaic system, food waste processing system and rain water recycling system for irrigation, etc.
Not only served as an operational building, the fire station embodies the values of humanity and sustainability, with a touch of oasis within the heart of industrial area.