Fire Station 30 was to respond to its site and closeby the entrance to the Santa Monica mountains and beach (Will Rogers, Sunset, and Topanga beaches). Located in Pacific Palisades, Fire Station 30 program consists of a typical fire station: firefighting equipment areas, common areas, private quarters, administration areas, and support spaces (mechanical systems). Additionally, it has a Medical Clinic for triage and treatment of local residents and visitors (hikers, beach traffic, cyclists, joggers), to address minor accidents. Currently, firefighters must stop traffic on Sunset Blvd in order to back in their trucks. We found this problematic and decided that the trucks would enter from Los Leones and face head-on to Sunset Blvd in order to avoid stopping traffic when returning to the station. The radius of the curve became a formal strategy used to create the massing. Curves are used in both plan and section simultaneously. This coherent formal expression served the program well allowing circulation to flow smoothly. Determining material was based on the curves of the massing, by using metal as the main material since its recyclable, durable for from 40-60 years, absorbs heat, and is lightweight. By exploring the types of metals, corrugated steel was the best choice for design purposes.
