New Hanover County Fire Rescue Castle Hayne Station No. 13

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 Castle Hayne Road Station #13 and Gordon Road Station #20 are the latest projects being designed by SCNA and constructed under the firm’s oversight with a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method. These projects were designed simultaneously but had a staggered construction schedule. The new Castle Hayne station replaces the existing firehouse, which the Fire Department has outgrown, and addresses the space’s needs for a rapidly growing community.

The design includes spaces and features that are more mindful of firefighter mental health and wellness, such as quieter areas and clean water filtration systems. This also included addressing potable water quality issues that were a concern at the previous station.

The facility features two apparatus bays responding via Castle Haynes Road and returning via Parmele Road. 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 Castle Hayne 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 permitted to offices and other interior spaces.

The firefighter’s quarters consist of six bunkrooms with fire 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, areas of refuge, and extensive well water filtration, which was required to mitigate the risk of PFOS contamination.

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.