PHOTOS: Recipient of multiple honors, a fire station in Marion, Iowa, has been designed using a sustainability consultant’s 14 biophilic principles to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in firefighters.
The design from OPN Architects stayed loyal to the principles of biophilic design as outlined in the white paper, 14 Patterns of Biophilia, published by the consultant, Terrapin Bright Green. The motivation was for the firefighters to calm down after coming back to the station from a stressful operation.
The 1,970-m2 (21,200-sf) building’s plan and massing are centered around a two-story apparatus bay, with full-height glass doors on both the north and south elevations, allowing for ample daylight and a connection to the surrounding community.