Firehouse Magazine Announces National Station Design Award Winners

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Firehouse Magazine announced the winners of its ninth annual Station Design Awards program, which recognizes outstanding architecture and design from fire departments and emergency facilities nationwide. Peter Matthews, Firehouse Editor-in-Chief said, “This is the ninth year of the awards, and we are excited to see the advances in fire station designs. It’s wonderful to see the coordination between fire departments and architectural firms to design stations with a focus on keeping firefighters trained and healthy to better serve their communities. As fire departments become true all-hazard response agencies, their training and equipment needs grow, and the new facilities offer improved opportunities for firefighters to hone their skills.”

Winners were selected by a panel of seven judges, including fire chiefs and architects experienced in recent design and construction. Liollio is honored to announce that The City of Charleston Fire Station #11 received the Firehouse Station Special Design Award and James Island Public Service District Fire Station #1 HQ received a Notable Award.

Fire stations are essential public buildings that serve as critical infrastructure for emergency response services, and designing them requires careful consideration of operational needs, efficiency, and aesthetics. Receiving this award highlights Liollio’s commitment to creating spaces that not only meet the functional requirements of a fire station but also contribute to the community's architectural landscape. It recognizes Liollio’s dedication to designing buildings that enhance the well-being of the firefighters and the surrounding community while promoting safety and efficiency.

Showcasing and recognizing both projects is a tremendous honor and the Liollio team would like to thank Firehouse, the jurors, and our clients and project team. Congratulations to our clients at the City of Charleston, Charleston Fire Department and James Island Public Service District!

About Firehouse
Firehouse is the leading fire and emergency services brand, reaching more than 1.5 million visitors and subscribers monthly and thousands of attendees annually via its live events and media portfolio. The Firehouse brand encompasses Firehouse Magazine, Firehouse.com, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse Station Design Conference, Station Design Awards, and many print and digital products targeting fire and emergency services personnel. Utilizing its multiple platforms and unparalleled reach, Firehouse sets itself apart from the competition by fostering a culture that encourages innovation and the use of the latest digital and database technologies to best serve its audience and companies serving the marketplace.

Fire Station #11 Near Charleston 9 Memorial Coverage on ABC News 4

CHARLESTON SC (WCIV) by Bill Burr— "We call it the little big house because of our location. We actually run quite a few calls," explains Captain Donovan Richardson of the Charleston Fire Department. He works at Fire Station 11 on Savannah Highway near Markfield Drive where firefighters live and work in close quarters.

"The rowing machine will get pulled out and we'll slide the work bench out a little bit when those guys are doing their reps," says Richardson. He shows how a dormitory for sleeping is also used as a gym. It’s one of the challenges of using a building built more than 50 years ago.

"They've added a battalion chief medical locker which takes up a lot of space. That same space holds all of our gear whenever we're not here. So, we have two other shifts. And we've reached our capacity with the number of guys," Richardson said.

Fire officials say the station was built in 1961. Since then, service needs have increased. That’s why interim fire chief John Tippett says the fire department plans to build a state of the art fire station just blocks away from Station 11, and next to the Charleston 9 memorial. It'll feature classic architecture, including nine windows symbolizing the firemen who died at the Sofa Super Store. "That property being next to the memorial site I think will add another depth of the improvements in the area, the recovery of the department since the fire, and where we're going as an organization," Tippett said.

It’ll be an upgrade in facilities and technology for members of Station 11’s Westside Battalion. The current fire station has 4,000 square feet of space. The new building will have about 14,000 square feet to accommodate up to two companies of firefighters, a command training center, and storage space for frontline and spare apparatus.

A price tag for the new station hasn't been determined. The city's design and review board approved the plans Monday night. Other boards will need to approve them, too. Interim Chief Tippett says the goal is open the new fire station by the end of 2018.