Redmond Public Safety Facility

The Redmond Public Safety Center establishes a new civic landmark for Central Oregon while advancing mass-timber use in essential facilities. Designed as a two-story, LEED Silver–targeting building, the project pairs exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam framing with a high-performance envelope and resilient systems to support long-term community service.

From early concept through systems analysis, the team evaluated structural strategies in close collaboration with Pence Contractors and early trade partners. Exposed CLT wall panels and ceiling diaphragms, paired with glulam beams and columns, form the primary structural system. This approach reduces embodied carbon compared to conventional steel construction while creating a warm, biophilic interior environment that supports staff wellness and trauma-informed design goals.

The building’s narrow floor plate maximizes daylight penetration, allowing mass timber surfaces to remain visible and celebrated throughout circulation corridors, work areas, and community-facing spaces. Long corridors incorporate carved relief zones that maintain operational clarity while preserving exposed timber planes. Acoustic baffles are integrated with lighting systems to meet performance requirements without concealing the structure.

Durability and performance remained central to material selection. The police department actively participated in testing and evaluating CLT assemblies during design, reinforcing confidence in the system’s resilience. The mass-timber structure works in concert with a 70 kW rooftop photovoltaic array, VRF mechanical systems, and EV infrastructure to enhance both operational efficiency and environmental stewardship.

Externally, the building’s composition—described as a “snowy peak with a solid rocky base”—anchors the facility within the Central Oregon landscape. Interior timber surfaces extend that connection, framing views to the Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, and Smith Rock while reinforcing a sense of place.

By integrating mass timber as both a structural system and an architectural expression, the Redmond Public Safety Facility demonstrates how contemporary civic architecture can align sustainability, resilience, and community-centered design in a high-performance public safety environment.