Red Terra-Cotta Panels Emerge on Studio Gang's In-Progress Concrete Firehouse in Ocean Hill

The inventive concrete firehouse for Brooklyn Rescue Company 2 is progressing at 1815 Sterling Place in Ocean Hill.

The three-story, 18,152-square-foot structure, which topped out in the summer of 2017, will have green space on the roof and an open area in the building’s center that stretches from the floor to the ceiling.

It has been under construction for over two years. The red glazed terra-cotta panels, created from three different shades of red, can now be seen around some of the window and door frames and open areas cut out of the facade, a recent visit revealed. The front firehouse doors have also been installed.

Famed Chicago-based Studio Gang is behind the design, which was meant to provide a space for rescue workers to “practice rescue scenarios that mimic conditions common to the city, using its height and associated elements of balconies, bridge, doorways, ladders, and stairs,” according to their website.

The award-winning firm’s other projects include the United States Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil, and the Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

The city purchased the empty lot in 1982. FDNY Rescue 2 is currently located at 1472 Bergen Street in Crown Heights. The $32 million project broke ground in 2016.

Currently under construction next door is a public park that is attached to the massive affordable housing complex known as Prospect Plaza, located at 1845 Sterling Place, among other addresses.

From a distance the building looks intriguing yet fits into the scale of the area. It has potential to bring some liveliness — and maybe the odd architecture student — to what can be a quiet area on a weekday.

[Photos by Craig Hubert unless noted otherwise]

Related Stories

• Studio Gang’s Innovative Firehouse Takes Shape in Ocean Hill
• Long-in-the-Works Prospect Plaza Affordable Housing Complex in Ocean Hill Nears Completion
• The Restored Romanesque Splendor of Brooklyn’s Fire Headquarters

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