La Benauge Fire Station, Bordeaux

The Benauge Fire Station is situated on the right bank of Bordeaux, adjacent to the 18th-century docks façade. Constructed between 1950 and 1954, this station embodies a distinctly modernist architectural style, brought to life by the collaborative efforts of architects Claude Ferret, Yves Salier, and Adrien Courtois. The complex comprises various edifices and a central courtyard-concentric tower configuration.

Inspired by Le Corbusier's functionalist principles, the building's design resembles a massive Lego assembly, featuring distinct purpose-oriented blocks surrounding an interior yard. The five floors of apartments (40 in total) rise above workshop and garage areas, accommodating about twelve emergency vehicles. The apartment block is elevated on pillars, creating a noticeable physical separation from the ground. At the back, parallel spiral staircases offer a dizzying way to access each level.

The station's design prominently features a dual-purpose tower known as the "tour de séchage." This tower serves as both a training facility and a drying area for the firefighting brigade's equipment. It has ventilation openings at the top for air-drying hosepipes. The tower's flues resemble maritime funnels, and the maritime theme continues throughout the structure with porthole-style openings on the northern side. This design even creates a vision of the fire station blending into the Garonne river, resembling a gentle vessel adrift on water.