Wittman Estes Designs Innovative Modular Fire Station

by sarah_bauder | March 25, 2025 12:05 pm

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Wittman Estes has designed the Rienda Interim Fire Station 67, a new prefab, modular, fire-resistant fire station in Rancho Mission Viejo, Orange County, California.
Fire Station 67 is designed in direct response to the climate crisis, the increasing threat of wildfires, and the needs to the Rancho Mission Viejo community. Prefabricated off-site and assembled from 10 modules, the 433 m2 (4,667 sf) fire station is a modular design with the ability to reconfigure the structure into something new in the future. The rapidly deployable steel cubes are designed for re-use, speed, and resilience. The prefab structure is clad in fireproof, corrugated steel siding. Technology and rapid manufacturing are leveraged to maximize construction speed and efficiency.

The 3.7 m (12 ft) wide modules and 9 m (30 ft) long steel trusses create a rhythm of steel and aluminum. Steel is tough and non-combustible, and the most efficient structural material from a weight to strength ratio. The steel cubes of this kit-of-parts approach are easily placed using a mobile, telescoping forklift within a matter of hours.

The  modules are assembled around a semi-protected central courtyard which provides shaded space for firefighters to recharge and relax. An aluminum trellis in the courtyard protects the space from the hot sun. Rhythmic glazing reinforces a rational exterior and revealing the functionality of the interior. A steel trellis welcomes the visitor and draws them into the heart of the building underneath the large illuminated red letters of the “Orange County Fire Authority 67”.

The climate crisis has brought devastating wildfires to California, burning millions of acres and destroying tens of thousands of homes each year. The functionally driven site plan and configuration of the building zones give firefighters rapid access to serve public safety, and also feel privacy, calm, and connection to the wide open views of Trampas Canyon.

Interim fire stations are typically built as generic, interior focused boxes. As single use programs box buildings can have shorter lifespans, built with inexpensive and non-durable materials. These short-term stations end up in landfills, adding to the waste stream and accelerating climate change. Wittman Estes and the Fire Station 67 team wanted a more expansive future for this interim fire station.

“We wanted to break open the box and look beyond” says Matt Wittman, the lead architect at Wittman Estes.

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/news/daily-news/modular-fire-station/

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