A new fire station is desperately needed for a town in Massachusetts. The existing fire station had become too small for the department and could not accommodate some of the expanded services and equipment that fire departments now include. The site is located at the center of town, providing the opportunity to express architecturally the importance of the fire department to the town.  The intent for this proposal was to also subvert some of the architectural elements of this building type while showing appreciation for the incredible work of the firefighters. The hose drying and practice tower, typically a heavy solid element, has been transformed into a glass cantilevered tower, making practice runs a type of performance for the city and becoming a huge lantern for the town at night.  A slot runs through the center of the building, dividing living and working spaces, connecting upper and lower spaces, and providing a zone for fire poles.  The building is clad in red standing seam metal for the roof and “shou-sugi-ban” charred wood for the exterior walls, which is not only a sustainable material but also symbolically significant for the program.