The City of Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Department was in need of a new station program. Some of the existing Stations were designed for horses, not fire truck apparatuses. The dorm areas were one large room and not designed for both male and female use.

Synergy Interior Design was contracted to work on a program of functions and standards for the department as well as the interior finishes, millwork and furniture for three new stations and renovations to a fourth station.

Understanding the functions and culture of the fire and paramedic stations was critical to the project. The pressure the staff is under to achieve response times necessitated an extreme level of sensitivity regarding all design decisions made by our team and the client group for these stations.

The stations are truly used 24/7, including the kitchen so the clients requested the cooking and eating areas be all stainless steel with no doors. Working out all the details required much study and research, especially regarding the millwork. The material in other areas was also upgraded to withstand the vigour of station life over the long term, like the quartz tabletop. The budget looked at long term use and the costs per year of product. They didn’t want the waste of replacing products every few years, which has a large negative effect on the budget and the environment as well.

This project spanned a massive amount of detailing and design work for the millwork storage units in the kitchen, lounge and entry area. We also addressed furniture for the station captains’ offices and dorm room and renovated bathrooms to a new level of form and function. The design work was well received and the material selections and colours selected by our team became a standard for the three new stations and the entire renovation project.