Firehouse of Palma de Mallorca / Jordi Herrero Arquitecto

Architects: Jordi Herrero Arquitecto
Location: Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Equipo De Diseño: Jordi Herrero Campo, Sebastián Escanellas Genovard, Juan Gabriel Valls Palmer, Gabriel Palmer Socías
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Jaime Sicilia, Courtesy of Jordi Herrero Arquitecto, Juan Gabriel Valls Palmer

Project Area: 4,113 sqm
Structures: Fenando Purroy Narvaiza
Installations: PGDI
Builder: Constructora San José, Constructora Llabrés Feliu

The site is located in the center of Palma de Mallorca with shortcuts to the city center and the ring road in both directions.

The main building accommodates the site boundaries. The diagonal divides creating two courtyards, one of practices and other emergencies.

Functionally the building has three major areas:

1. An administrative and reception area.
2. Exhibition area (fire trucks and old equipment).
3. Area firefighters work, including emergency parking, daytime areas, sports area (indoor pool, and a fitness multipurpose) and bedrooms.

The complex also features a private parking and a practice area with a 30-meter tower, a training module Flash Over, classrooms and locker rooms for practice and a truck garage.

Conceptually, the project has three elements.

1. Concrete trays. Built by slabs on pillars grid 8 x 8 m. Forming the skeleton of the building. Program to organize freely.
2. Boxes. Constructed using prefabricated systems. They house private spaces and organize  open. Its position and size to suit every need. The system allows the redistribution to future needs a simple manner.
3. Skins. Formed by vertical strips of stainless steel mesh. Filter the light and clothe the building.

The result is an organic piece, kinetic, moody, which is designed to be seen from the highway, at speed.

The project materials were selected with the criterion of minimum maintenance and high durability. The main materials are concrete slabs, panels colored thermosetting resin, low emissivity glass, stainless steel tensioned mesh,  panels of galvanized steel, ceiling panels of steel, granite, concrete and rubber pavement and high quality luminaries.