Fire Fighter Training Center

For the new Fire Fighter Training Center, located near the intersection of Industrial and St. Laurent in Ottawa, ON, the proposed building focuses on enclosed spaces, specifically manufactured enclosures verse natural enclosures. Each one of these enclosures infuses a different feeling upon the person experiencing the space. Thus, for the proposed Fire Fighter Training Center, the building has a manufactured enclosure for training activities in which the building plan encases the training area. This will allow the three main occupants of the center a view of the training area, while also providing a place of refuge for the occupants of the building.

Each level of the center focuses upon one of the main groups who will be using the building. The basement encases all the training activities that occur at the building, with the trainees being the main group that occupies this level. The Ground Floor, the educational level, contains a walkway that surrounds the training area and classrooms. This floor is both for the education of the public as well as the trainees. This floor is also a transitional level between the level for rest and the level for training. The Second Floor represents the floor of refuge from the training activities as this floor holds the office spaces and the kitchen/dining area for the center, with the main occupants of this floor being the staff of the center.

The final key aspect of the proposed building is differentiating the spaces of activity versus the spaces of rest and refuge. The occupants of the building complete vigorous activities, and thus, require a space of refuge and rest upon completion of these activities. Thus, to aid in helping the occupants relax, the second floor of the building situates itself to allow for the natural enclosures located in the buffer zone on the west side of the site, to give the occupants a peaceful area of refuge from their strenuous training activates.

Therefore, the purposed building aims to provide a training space focused on education while also ensuring the wellbeing of the occupants by also providing space of refuge from these strenuous activities.