East Kapolei Fire Station

City & County of Honolulu Fire Department

Kapolei, Hawaii
Completed 2013

The design for the East Kapolei Fire Station created a pragmatic City & County facility that also symbolically expresses its mission and importance to the community. Given the functional requirements and budget, the architectural design focuses on satisfying human comfort and integrating sustainable principles into the building and landscape design. The strong, simple forms of the cast-in-place concrete walls use texture (smooth and board-form concrete) and shadow to create a distinctive building without compromising its low-maintenance durability. With its large scale and ceremonial “front door,” the Engine 43 building is a prominent landmark on Kapolei Parkway.

The buildings are arranged on the site to favor natural daylighting and solar orientation; energy use is minimized and stormwater is managed on-site. The site plan also accommodates access and circulation needs, outdoor training spaces, privacy, and future expansion. The project was designed to LEED Silver certification standards.

Photo credit: Augie Salbosa