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Architects: BarberMcMurry Architects
- Area: 7830 ft²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Denise Retallack
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Manufacturers: Pac-Clad, YKK AP
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Lead Architects: Chuck Griffin, Chad Boetger, A.J. Heidel, Julie Dalby, NCIDQ, IIDA
Text description provided by the architects. The design of the new Harper Auto Wash prototype delivers a luxury customer experience without a luxury construction budget. Positioned along a heavily traveled vehicular corridor, the project site is surrounded by industrial & automotive uses which inspires the exterior design strategy. Constrained within a compact footprint, the efficient building structure leverages common industrial materials composed & detailed to create a clean, modern architectural solution.
Corrugated metal siding features a randomized profile & color pattern which floats above a base of exposed concrete block and storefront. Within the metal siding, a pattern of white and gray color striation is deployed to invoke a feeling of movement across the building elevation. The CMU, which defines the building’s base, responds to the material demands dictated by the wash environments – while also providing a contrast to the lighter corrugated metal panels and storefront systems.
The building itself is positioned and designed to act as its own “billboard” to attract new & existing customers. The floor plan is conceived as an incredibly efficient & simple rectangle with the Wash and Finishing Bays positioned along the lengths of the building. The Coffee Shop and Customer Lounge are centrally located between the Wash and Finishing Bays and are bracketed with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows to capture shared daylight & provide unobstructed views of the adjacent wash areas.
Within the customer zones, staggered acoustic baffles and linear lighting elements reinforce the feeling of movement, drawing inspiration from the “light streak” effect created by the motion of cars captured in photography. Wood slats are incorporated into the interior architecture to draw attention to the Coffee Shop bar, as well as to provide a warm, biophilic element for the Customer Lounge. Designed with restraint, Harper Auto Wash respects the beauty inherent in simple materials, embraces opportunities for daylight & views, and architecturally elevates the typical “car-wash” program.
