Thornton, CO | 36,000 SF facility that contains a police department substation, a fire station, and an area for community gatherings.

Lantern: /lan-tern/ n. a transparent or translucent case for enclosing a light and protecting it from the elements.

The lantern concept is a thoughtful approach to ‘protection’; this protection is both symbolic (light) and physical (building).

At night, the overhead doors and translucent panels create a connection between the fire department and the surrounding community.

Carving away the pre-engineered metal building creates a protective and dynamic public entry.

The cast-in-place suite wall transforms into a bullet-resistant front desk, acting as a safety threshold for the police department.

The layered envelope in the community room simultaneously provides protection and transparency.

Along the police department’s main hallway, interior windows face one another, inviting connection between people.

The fire department crew office provides a wide-framed view connecting the crew with the apparatus bay.

The apparatus bay allows natural light in during the day and transforms into a lantern of light at night.

The interior features durable, minimalist, and timeless materials to create an elegant simplicity.

At night, the building transforms into a lantern, a symbol of the continued safety it provides to the surrounding community.