THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN & RESEARCH, SHENZHEN UNIVERSITY, CO., LTD.: Winner of World Design Awards 2024. The site adjoins Baozi Middle Road on the east side and the plot is in an irregular trapezoid shape. Flanked by green lands on the east and west sides, it boasts an open and broad view. It is the only fire station equipped with 12 fire engines that the design team so far has created in Pingshan District of Shenzhen, and it has a rare large U-shaped inner yard.

I. Project overview

The project is located at the intersection of Danzi Avenue and Baozi Middle Road in Pingshan District, Shenzhen, occupying a plot area of 5,960.64 sqm. The site adjoins Baozi Middle Road on the east side, urban green space on the west, residences on the north, and Danzi Avenue on the south, above which the Shenzhen-Xiamen Railway passes through. The expansive land enables the creation of a U-shaped inner yard that is rarely seen in fire stations.

As a fire station, it can accommodate up to 12 fire engines. With a plot ratio of 0.94, it has a gross floor area of 7,159.79 sqm, including 5,598.96 sqm above the ground that consists of a three-story building and a seven-floor training tower, and an underground floor area of 1,560.83 sqm. It is a U-shape yard-style fire station next to high-speed rail.

II. Relation to the city

The site adjoins Baozi Middle Road on the east side, and urban green space on the west. Taking advantage of the panoramic landscape and the relatively expansive land area, the design team created a rare large U-shaped inner yard for the fire station. It maximizes activity space, improves working and living conditions for firefighters, and preserves sufficient surrounding space.

To meet the needs for one-minute rapid response to emergency calls, different from tradition fire station design that creates an inner courtyard-style route for fire engines, this project allows fire engines to leave the fire station via an exit near the street, which greatly improves emergency response efficiency. Facing the east side of Baozi Middle Road, the fire garage exit is 62 meters wide and situated 16 meters away from the roadside, which meet the minimum requirements for the fire station exit square.

III. Master planning

The project site’s east boundary adjoins Baozi Middle Road, where the main entrance and exit area set. This area includes the fire engine garage exit and a square for fire engine deployment, which facilitates rapid fire emergency response and creates a turnaround space for fire engines. The southeast corner is the primary pedestrian entrance for firefighters and visitors. On the west side, space is allocated for fire training field, running track, and basketball court, while maximizing the yard space as a “breathing space”.

IV. Setback analysis

Due to the irregular trapezoidal shape and land area of the site, complying with the setback requirements of Shenzhen City would not allow the project to meet the design brief. Additionally, the building design needed to be coordinated with the context. After thorough demonstration and active communication with the planning department, the design team secured the permission for a reasonable minimum setback of 0.5 metre to the north side, 0.9 metre to the south side, 1.5 metres to the west side, and 11 metres to the east.

V. Functional organization

The Kengzi Fire Station is designed with an enclosed U-shaped layout. It comprises a 3-story service building measuring 13.8 meters tall and a 7-story, 35-meter-high training tower. The land where it is situated has an irregular trapezoid shape, necessitating a rational arrangement of the entire fire station, exit square, and training venue to harmonize with the surrounding environment.

Fire engines leave the station via an exit nearby the urban road, and 12 fire trucks are arranged on the ground floor, greatly improving emergency response efficiency. Visitors’ entrance is set on the south side of the plot, and the public areas open to the citizens are set on 1F and the 2F. The fire engine garage faces a square beside the urban road. Entrance hall, canteen and air bottle refilling room are arranged on 1F, firefighter duty room and office are organized on 2F, lavatory and shower room are placed on the west side, and operation room and auxiliary room are set on 3F. The basement accommodates emergency rescue storerooms and equipment rooms.

Besides, multiple roof gardens are set to enrich the life of firefighters. Green building and sponge city technologies are applied to the rooftop orchard. Concave green area is set for rainwater absorption, storage and infiltration, to effectively control the rainwater runoff within the site.

VI. Circulation

The main entrance of the Kengzi Fire Station is positioned at the southeast corner, serving both firefighters and visitors. On weekends and holidays, citizens can access the second-floor corridor via the stairs and elevator to visit the fire engine garage and the rooftop orchard, with a view of the training ground. The thoughtfully designed circulation allows a comprehensive visit throughout all open area, which is separated from the closed area through controlled accesses to avoid disrupting firefighters’ daily training and work. The exit and square for fire engines are set on the east side, which facilitates fire emergency response and creates a turnaround space for fire engines.

VII. Building style

Based on the “Shenzhen Fire Station Standardized Design”, we have made improvements by adding personalized elements, incorporating modern and concise design languages like horizontal extension, vertical grids, staggered heights, vertical and horizontal contrasts, interpenetrating blocks, and fusion of solid and transparent materials to clearly express the relationship between form and function. Additionally, full-height space, void, open-air atrium, bridge-like corridor and facade grilles are set to adapt to the hot and rainy climate of Lingnan. The square and dignified architectural style of the Kengzi Fire Station embodies a sense of solemnity and stability.

Project Details:-
Firm
THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN & RESEARCH, SHENZHEN UNIVERSITY, CO., LTD.

Architect
Zhong Zhong

Project Name
Kengzi Fire Station, Shenzhen

Project Category
Institutional Building Built

Team
Zhong Zhong, Zhong Botao, Bai Yixin, Zhong Haihuan, Meng Meili, Wei Xianqiong, Li He, Hou Jian, Liu Zhongping, Wang Weifang, Wang Hongyue, Guo Hao, Liu Mu, Tang Jin

Project Location
Shenzhen, China

Country
China

Photography ©Credit
Inter_mountain

Founded in 1984, the Institute is one of national class-A design institutes approved by Ministry of Construction. It has 3 branches: Shanghai Branch, Xi’an Branch and SDY Architectural Technology Research Co., Ltd. (SDYATR). It delivers various design services ranging from architectural engineering, urban planning, residential planning, drawing review to interior design, landscape design, etc. Its projects have been put into use in a dozen large- and middle-scale cities. SUIADR is a well-know design institute in China.

---