New Hanover County Fire & Rescue Gordon Road Fire Station No. 20

Stewart Cooper Newell has a history in New Hanover County spanning over 2 decades. The County has hired SCNA to design multiple projects during the tenure of this 20+ year relationship.

The Gordon Road Headquarters Station 20 and Castle Hayne Rd. Station 13 are the latest projects successfully completed by SCNA. The project was constructed under a Construction Manager at Risk delivery method, where SCNA provided support to the owner and the construction team.

These projects were designed simultaneously but had a staggered construction schedule.

The new Gordon Road station is a part of a future mixed-use development. As the pilot project for the upcoming development, the station’s aesthetic sets a precedent for the new mixed-use community, while its functions serve the needs of the rapidly developing municipality.

The design includes spaces and features that are mindful of firefighter mental health and wellness.

The facility features two apparatus bays, with responding and returning routes via the future community entrance. Off the bays are support spaces including storage, restrooms, and decontamination rooms. The bays are separated from the living quarters by sealed vestibules/passageways restricting the movement of possibly contaminated air from vehicle exhaust into the habitable areas.

The public accesses the station through the public entrance facing the future community access road. The public lobby is manned by the radio room and has direct access to a restroom and training room off the lobby. Controlled access is required for offices and other interior spaces, including the Administration wing. The administration wing, located adjacent to the outdoor patio and along the main corridor, consists of a shared conference room, work room, administrative offices, and support staff.

The firefighter’s quarters consist of six bunkrooms with fire-rated and acoustically rated separations from adjacent spaces. The building’s layout provides quick access to the truck bays, reducing emergency response times. Adjacent to the sleeping quarters are adequate restrooms and a combined kitchen and dayroom with dynamic natural lighting and access to the outdoor patio, which allows for outdoor cooking, dining, and lounging. The interior layout of the station serves the functions of a fire station without compromising the features that support firefighters’ wellness. Wellness strategies include the use of natural textures/materials, natural lighting, thermal comfort, quiet rooms, and areas of refuge.

Exterior material selection and the structural system were based on longevity, maintenance, and climate resilience in a coastal environment. The building façade features a coastal vernacular of North Carolina Beach Towns. Masonry, board & batten, and metal panels on gabled roofs with dormer windows further lend to the traditional form of the existing architectural context.