Fire Station 76

Fire Station 76 is divided into two masses—a vaulted apparatus bay and living quarters—which make extensive use of wood for structure and finish in juxtaposed fashion. The apparatus bay is highlighted by 27-foot, Tudor-style glulam arches, glulam roof framing and tongue and groove decking. Part of the structural system, the arches are designed to resist vertical and lateral loads with additional factors of safety required for Essential Facilities under the Oregon Structural Specialty Code. Attached to the apparatus bay, the living quarters are constructed with open web trusses and LVL I-joists at the roof, conventional wood-frame walls, and plywood shear walls as the lateral force-resisting system. Siding is reclaimed Douglas-fir treated using an ancient Japanese charring technique called Shou Sugi Ban. After milling, the siding was lightly burned on all sides, creating a hardened, carbonized layer that protects from moisture, decay, insects—and fire. The treated siding requires little-to-no maintenance, and also performs well as a rain screen. This 10,120-sf, Type V project was completed in 2015 for a construction cost of $3.24 million.