The ground level of Aspen/Pitkin County Airport’s $9 million facility houses equipment for snow removal (SRE), and airfield rescue and firefighting (ARFF). Meanwhile, the airport’s administrative personnel are located on the second level, and the facility houses a few subsidized apartments for county employees as part of an initiative for affordable housing.

The facility provides heated storage and maintenance functions for 10 pieces of ARFF and SRE equipment as well as other airport vehicles. Site and building orientation allow immediate and direct access to runways for each vehicle housed inside.

A need for this highly customized facility arose from airport reconfigurations that expanded the apron into an area previously occupied by ARFF and SRE equipment. The new site has the added benefit of reducing potential conflicts between aircraft and ground vehicles. However, locating the facility on the opposite side of the airfield dictated the need for the ARFF vehicles to be maintained inside a bay designed into the facility. Maintaining ARFF vehicles previously required driving the equipment offsite to be serviced at another county facility. 

Among the new facility’s unique challenges was that of integrating it amid the local architectural vernacular. Its proximity to an exclusive neighborhood precipitated special aesthetic treatments. This inspired our team’s roof design, which helps visually harmonize the facility against its residential backdrop. 

By the Numbers

FLEET SIZE

• 10 vehicles

SITE SIZE

• 16.8 acres

FACILITY SIZE

• 29,000 sf