At Sproul State Forest’s Hyner Maintenance Headquarters, Inscale Architects designed a new 5,000-square-foot woodshop and fire equipment storage building to replace the existing facility, which had reached the end of its service life. The new structure increases capacity, enhances functionality, and integrates modern energy-efficient design strategies.

Program requirements called for high ceilings in the Fire Equipment Storage Room, Woodshop, and Tool Storageareas, while administrative spaces maintained a standard ceiling height—allowing for the creation of a mezzanine storage area above the office suite. Working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Inscale secured project variances to streamline the design, reducing the number of toilet rooms and eliminating the need for a drinking fountain per DCNR’s request.

A steeply sloped site presented one of the project’s greatest challenges. The team addressed it by berming the structure into the hillside, preserving valuable parking and outdoor storage space while improving the building’s energy performance. The design is further enhanced by a photovoltaic solar array, enabling net-zero energy use and long-term operational efficiency.