Marion Fire Station Design Gains Attention in Architectural World

Exterior shot in the summertime of new Marion Fire Station headquarters designed by OPN Architects.

The Marion Fire Station is catching more than fire, it’s capturing the attention of the architectural community. The new headquarters for the Marion, Iowa Fire Department was most recently featured in the Architectural Record, a nationally distributed architectural magazine. Designed by OPN Architects, this 21,000 square-foot building has already won several architectural awards:

Honor Award: American Institute of Architects, Central States Region
Honorable Mention: International Interior Design Association, Great Plains Chapter
Honor Award: American Institute of Architects, Iowa Chapter

Supporting the Architectural Vision

Bringing an award-winning design to life is no simple task. Among the primary architectural goals that helped forge this building’s success was the sense of openness and welcome throughout the building, creating an indoor-outdoor connection, and the incorporation of biophilic designs, such as charred shou sugi ban wood on the building’s exterior—a true visual showstopper. From an engineering perspective, Lead Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager Blake Anderson recalls how the Design Engineers team aligned the MEP design with the architect’s vision.

“The multiple uses and functions of the building (Fire Station Apparatus Bays, Office Space, Storm Shelter, Living Quarters) presented challenging requirements,” notes Blake. “Careful and very detailed coordination within our team was required for HVAC distribution systems and equipment layouts.”

All About Excellence

The Marion Fire Station isn’t our first project to reach such architectural recognition. DE specializes in high-performance, challenging projects and it’s what’s made us the engineering firm of choice for projects like this.

“This project is a perfect example of what we’re all about at DE, which is to be the engineering firm of choice for the most complex projects,” says Amy Infelt, Principal In Charge on the project. “We were there to integrate all the mechanical and electrical systems into the architectural design in a way that supports the architect’s vision for the project.”

Let’s Build Something Amazing

Looking for an MEP partner who supports your architectural vision? Contact us today and let’s bring your next big project to life!