B R A N D W E E R. Linedupabovethe copper-coloured façade of the fire station, the bright-yellow neon letters form an unambiguous cornice. This is a place where confusion of tongues costs lives. The design by BEL Architecten in collaboration with Point Supreme Architects for the fire station of Leopoldsburg has the colourful functionality of a professional uniform.

Seven openings in a gleaming shield of corrugated sheets serve as the starting blocks for often urgent interventions. Seven blue-green roller doors, ready to spew out the necessary equipment and personnel at any moment, are flanked by gnarled steel bumpers in signal red paint: shin guards for powerhouses. Two additional gates for the ambulances sit somewhat cramped beneath the cantilevered radio room from which all operations are coordinated. It is the control room of the station, which, thanks to glazing on both the inside and outside, offers a panoramic view of the whole complex: Michellaan, where the volunteers drive up when called out, the training yard outside, the vehicle bay inside, the offices and even the multi-purpose room with the bar.