Rammed Earth Takes Shape at Bernalillo County Fire Station 36
Material, craft, and place come together in a courtyard designed for rest and resilience.
A recent site visit to Bernalillo County Fire Station 36 offered a close look at a construction process that is as tactile as it is timeless. In March, crews began forming rammed earth walls that will define a central courtyard—an outdoor space designed to support firefighters as they move between the intensity of calls and moments of rest.
The courtyard, approximately 3,000 square feet, is enclosed by rammed earth walls ranging from four to six feet in height and approximately 18 inches thick. More than a simple enclosure, the walls shape a protected outdoor room—offering privacy, buffering wind, and creating a sense of calm within the daily rhythm of the station.
The rammed earth construction is being led by Mike Sims of Sims General Building (SGB), a nationally recognized leader in the process. With projects across New Mexico, California, and Texas, SGB brings deep expertise to the craft, including prior collaboration with SMPC on the amphitheater at Petroglyph National Monument. There, locally sourced materials were used to create a structure that feels inseparable from the surrounding landscape of sandstone and volcanic rock—a quality that continues to inform the approach at Fire Station 36.
At its core, rammed earth is a process of layering and compacting a carefully balanced mix of soils to create dense, durable walls. The result is both structural and expressive—revealing subtle variations in color and texture that reflect the material’s origin. As each lift is compacted, the wall records the act of its making.
For this project, the use of rammed earth connects the fire station to the regional landscape while providing a robust, low-maintenance material suited to New Mexico’s climate. Its thermal mass and durability make it well suited for long-term performance, while its visual character brings a sense of permanence and grounding to the space.
As construction progresses toward substantial completion in late June, the courtyard will emerge as a defining feature of the station—a place designed not only for function, but for pause. In a profession defined by urgency, the creation of spaces that support recovery and well-being is essential. The rammed earth walls at Fire Station 36 do just that—quietly reinforcing the connection between people, place, and purpose.
More information along with conceptual renderings can be seen on our website portfolio page.
A Collaborative Effort
The General Contractor for the Fire Station is HB Construction. Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Fire Department Fleet and Facilities Management (Bernalillo County) is the client. The design team includes Souder Miller Associates (Civil), Martin & Martin (Structural), Maxson Engineering (MEP) and Balis & Company (Cost Estimating).
The new fire station is located at 6810 Edith Blvd. NE, north of Osuna Rd NE, serving neighborhoods in the Northeast Valley of Albuquerque.
Photography by D’Ali Roberts
