Cobb County Safety Village

Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects designed the most comprehensive safety training display environment in the southeast for thousands of elementary school children to visit each year. Modeled as an assemblage of landmarks from Cobb County, both past and present, the exterior of the Public Safety Education building appears as unique as its function. An art deco theater, the beloved iconic historic courthouse from downtown Marietta, and a vintage train station all unite to make a memorable field trip destination.

Concept to Reality:

The children begin their day when unloading from the bus at the ‘Train Station’ covered canopy and Lobby. The lobby is sized to stage kids arriving and departing the Center. POH designed an interior, day-lit, extra wide ‘street’ and village appearance to organize the stops the kids will make during their visit. The curriculum includes a puppet show auditorium in the ‘Strand Theater’. The interior village theme continues with the ‘Fire House’ and ‘Police Station’ providing important classroom space for focused education. Kids eat lunch in the large ‘Civic Center’ multipurpose room. Residential safety is demonstrated with theatrical smoke and heated doors in the mascot’s house known as “Sparky’s House”.

Simulated Fire Emergency:

The Center anchors an exterior miniature village with child sized buildings, sidewalks, traffic signals and a variety of structures that represent the community. A Car-Seat safety training and installation facility is also included in the building.