Jesse Lazar, Executive Director of AIA New York, says “I think what makes architecture important is when it positively affects the lives of the people that interact with it.” Most of the time, that sentiment is applied to museums, libraries, and spaces built for leisure. But apply that idea to a fire station, and the meaning shifts. The people who interact with that building do so in despair, and, the professional personnel, they live and work inside it for days at a time, shift after shift, year after year. The architecture is more than mere civic design, it serves as the essential foundation for the team’s success.

Washington Township Fire Station 41

The Washington Township Fire Station 41 in Centerville, Ohio, successfully replaced a half-century-old facility, rewarding the trust of the voters who approved its construction. App Architecture, led by principal Tim Bement, delivered on this commitment by creating a superior, 15,000-square-foot space that surpassed the capacity and quality of the previous station. The new building came with a genuine architectural identity, a mid-century modern aesthetic that could match Centerville’s theme.

From the time construction began in July 2022, sustainability was a central focus of the design. The station’s rooftop solar photovoltaic system is the most visible piece of that commitment, a direct statement that civic buildings can be built to be more energy-efficient. Natural lighting was woven into the space, and the entire facility was made with firefighter health and wellbeing in mind as a priority.

The exterior is where Bement’s vision became unmistakable. He specified Longboard’s 6″ V-Groove system, finished in the warm Dark National Walnut that gave the station its distinctive mid-century character. “Longboard made a great design partner on this project and they helped us achieve our design goals. Additionally, the customer service provided was also excellent during the course of the project.”, says Bement.

The station’s design details follow the same intentionality as rest, with a focus on high-quality amenities, safety, and operational function. The four-fold apparatus bay doors, engineered to open in seven seconds, the glass configurations, the color palette, and the cladding were treated as decisions that enhance the building rather than just a checkbox. 

The project caught the attention of CBS’s America ByDESIGN™, the AIA-helmed architectural series that seeks out inspiring, award-winning projects across the country. This national recognition is very significant, as any design professional understands. As Lazar’s words remind us, architecture becomes important when it positively affects the lives of the people who interact with it. At Station 41, that idea is built into every square foot.

Fire Station No. 4 in Pearland, Texas

The original Fire Station No. 4 in Pearland, Texas, built by the volunteer department in 2002, was no longer adequate for the rapidly expanding city’s needs, despite earlier renovations. To address this, the city built a replacement.

Longboard’s 6″ Channel Light National Walnut planks were used on the exterior, providing a warm, residential-feeling woodgrain finish that helps root the structure in its environment.

Photo by Pearland Texas Govt. via Website

A defining feature of the station’s interior is its rigorous system for contamination control, which strictly separates clean and dirty environments, including dedicated decontamination showers. This approach directly addresses the issue of occupational carcinogen exposure, which is linked to high rates of cancer among firefighters. 

As Assistant Chief Mark Campise said at the station’s opening, “When you look at this station, the design was built around reducing contamination, trying to keep us healthier and taking steps to prevent cancer.”

Boise Fire Station 13

Boise Fire Station 13 was designed by Pivot North Architecture and Rice Fergus Miller in collaboration with the City of Boise, Idaho, opening on the 30th of June, 2025 with a hose uncoupling ceremony that felt like a civic celebration.

The exterior was cladded with Longboard’s 6″ Channel Light National Walnut planks in woodgrain finish. The roof and some interior walls utilize Cross Laminated Timberpanels produced with harvested wood from Montana. Every material decision was guided by trauma-informed design principles, biophilic elements, natural light, sustainable cladding, and outdoor connection serving as an active wellness strategy for the first responders who work here. 

Photo by Pivot North Design via Website

Boise Fire Chief Mark Niemeyer emphasized the importance of this new facility, stating, “This is a significant milestone for the City of Boise. Fire Station 13 will improve response times, increase safety for our firefighters, and provide the high level of service our community expects and deserves.” The station itself is entirely electric, featuring eight vehicle charging stations and pre-installed infrastructure to accommodate future needs.

Each one of these three stations were built by people who decided that a fire station could be more than a garage with beds, that it could be an expression of civic values, a commitment to the health of the people inside it, and a landmark worthy of serving the community.

View our other Civic projects here.