Fire brigades tackle diverse challenges—from fires and floods to accidents—and rescue teams must always be ready to respond with fully operational equipment. This demands properly equipped fire stations, especially a main fire station serving both professional firefighters and volunteer crews. Knoche Architects designed just such a versatile facility in Kalk, transforming a former industrial site in the Gleisdreieck into a fully functional emergency response hub.

The robust façade of hot-dip galvanised steel sheets showcases the authentic character of the galvanising process—random colour gradients, matte and glossy areas creating natural surface variation. This is intentional; no finishing work has been applied. These sheets are suspended between irregularly spaced pilaster strips of rectangular aluminium profiles that emphasise the façade's vertical rhythm. Interrupted at each floor slab, this creates a dynamic grid pattern in the ventilated façade system that visually unifies the entire complex. The numerals "112" stand boldly at the top of the tall, narrow hose tower, marking the facility from a distance. This tower and the adjacent five-storey professional fire brigade building frame the entrance to the central courtyard, shared with lower ancillary structures. Here, crews conduct training exercises and access nine of eighteen garage bays for fire engines and rescue vehicles. Beyond parking, the vehicle workshop keeps the fleet maintained and operational. The professional wing also accommodates training areas, crew lounges, and a fitness facility, plus sanitary and administrative spaces on the ground floor. Vertical circulation—via elevators, stairs, and the traditional fire brigade poles—is strategically designed to minimise response time.

"Functionality, efficient layout, and seamless operations guided every design decision," explains architect Christian Knoche. The scheme balances the professional fire brigade's specific needs with integrated facilities serving the broader network: the station houses central workshops and supplies distribution for all Cologne fire stations. The Kalk volunteer fire brigade operates from adjacent quarters with direct access to the training courtyard, creating a fully unified emergency response facility.

www.knoche-architekten.de

Photography Credits:

Roland Halbe
www.rolandhalbe.eu

(From CUBE Cologne Bonn, Issue 03|20)