| Wellington Police Wellington, Kansas |
|
 |
Located in a small town South of Wichita Kansas, this 25,300 S.F. public safety complex was designed to group together Police, Fire and EMS staff allowing for shared use of support functions while still maintaining their relative autonomy. Two parcels of property divided by a city street leading to a modest downtown commercial district became the impetus for the linear design concept. The public lobby and the shared support facilities were located on the vacated street centerline with Police functions to the South and Fire/EMS functions to the North. |
| Contrary to modern day technology, the client elected to dry fire hoses "the old fashioned way" which resulted in a tower that can function as a drying facility and a specialized training structure used for climbing and repelling drills. The tower also acts a space marker for the entire complex.
Exterior materials were selected to compliment the surrounding context at the same time offering the building its own identity. Familiar red brick walls run on either side from South to North interrupted only by the main public entrances, which introduce exposed concrete, painted steel and glass. |
 |
 |
The tower reintroduces concrete on repelling surfaces and is capped in painted steel. Spanning between the brick walls are panels of reinforced fiberglass, a material easily removed for future Energy conservation for this 24 hour / 365 day facility was achieved through a computerized microprocessor based management system, electronic ballast and T-8 lamps, 90% efficient boilers and a variable air volume system. The introduction of clerestory windows at the shared support areas also added to energy conservation by eliminating the need for artificial light during the day, at the same time creating open and inviting spaces within. |