Salem Fire Station #151

Salem Fire & EMS Station 151 makes a bold architectural statement rooted in the craft and character of heavy timber construction. The centerpiece of the design is an exposed glulam king post truss system spanning the five-bay apparatus room — a structural system that is as visually striking as it is purposeful. The warm tones and natural texture of the timber bring an unexpected humanity to a working fire station, celebrating regional building traditions while delivering a low embodied carbon, renewable structural solution.

At nearly 22,000 square feet, the facility houses everything Salem's first responders need — sleeping quarters, kitchen, fitness, and dayroom — alongside a fully functional fire and EMS operation. But it is the timber that sets the tone from the moment you walk in. The exposed glulam trusses draw the eye upward and signal that this is a building built with intention and pride. The design has earned national recognition from both the FIERO and Firehouse Station Design Awards, a testament to what thoughtful material choices and skilled craftsmanship can achieve in even the most utilitarian building types.