On a plot in between Dilbeek’s residential heart and a busy main road Studio SNCDA designed a building housing the fire station, a multi-purpose hall and three emergency housing units. The three distinctly different programs are placed over the depth of the site, each one oriented around an outdoor space. Because of the strategic location, the building has no backside, but two main facades. The fire station is easily accessible from the main road, while the multi-purpose hall is oriented towards the residential area. The emergency housing is integrated on both sides, blending in with the existing buildings. A massive bridge in red reinforced concrete spanning from one street to the other, containing the multipurpose hall and offices of the fire brigade, keeps the ground floor free for the fire engines. The different materials used in the facades are a canvas for visual experimentation in collaboration with artist Karel Martens, resulting in a grid that can both inside and outside. This module is the base for a fine work of joints and details like the rounded corners of the oversized windows and even the placement of the different technics.
