Viamala Raststätte Service Station / Iseppi-Kurath
Iseppi-Kurath‘s winning competition for a highway service area intends to act as a “window towards the region”. Located next to the exit Thusis-Nord at the highway A13 in Grisons, Switzerland, this service area boasts an expressive roof that “combines the architectural prelude of the building and brings together the entrance and exit of it.”
More about the service area and more images after the break.
The building’s layout, almost spiral in plan, allows customers to walk around the edges happening upon shops for produce and products, a restaurant, bar area, take-away, and tourism information, all with direct access from the outside. The plan accommodates quieter areas for conference purposes and a serviced restaurant.
Large window opening toward the vast expanse of canyons (the Viamala and the Muttnerhöhe, Schin canyon) as well as the Domleschg valley. The wooden interior adds to the service area’s “warmth and cozy concealment.”
Structurally, the main load bearing elements are wood, complemented by some stiffening concrete slabs. These elements carry the interior wooden finishing and the exterior façade from metal. The building with its weatherproof and low maintenance façade from metal references through the formal design and choice of materials the surrounding landscape but also automobile technology.
The roof, a one meter thick folded surface, consists of beams from laminated wood and rafters. The insulation is installed through a suspended ceiling. The wall elements of timber frame construction where prefabricated and mounted at the construction.
As seen on Bustler. Photography by Thomas Drexel.
Project Details:
Project: Viamala Raststätte Thusis
Location: Viamala Raststätte Thusis, 7430 Thusis / Switzerland
Client: Viamala Raststätte Thusis AG (corporation)
Architecture: Iseppi/Kurath GmbH, Thusis
Building Engineering: Pöyry Infra AG, Chur
Wood Construction Engineering: Walter Bieler, Bonaduz
Materials:
Wood for construction: laminated (composite) wood 202 m3
Slat/two-by-four scantling 124 m3
Planks (timber roofing) 1,525 m2
Multi-functional boards 456 m2
Wall and ceiling finish (cover): timber 980 m2, teel 3,200 kg
Construction costs (total): CHF 9.5 Million (US$ 9 Million)
Plot area: 24,000 m2
GFA: 1,300 m2 ground floor, 380 m2 basement
Building volume: 8,500 m3
Price per cubic meter (BKP2, Swiss building cost indices): CHF 541 (US$ 511)
Construction period: August 2007 – June 2008
The project was also included in the “Exhibition Landmarks To-Be. Architecture and landscape projects for Graubünden” at the Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture gta of the ETH in Zurich along projects of Architects such as Valerio Olgiati, Peter Zumthor, Valentin Bearth/Andrea Deplazes.
It would be great if they could have done it without the columns near the pumps.
But I still really like it a lot.
Not sure about architecture trying to imitate nature as some sort of justification…it’s probably more romantic as they have done in the past for example route 66 in the US, where gas stations lok like gas stations, when gas stations have developed it’s own language… i find that would be a stronger concept
That would be a DIFFERENT concept for a DIFFERENT project and ENTIRELY DIFFERENT place.
You just stopped at the very first stage of architecture reception – “I like it/I don’t like it” – you have to go deeper and beyond just your personal taste to see the real value.
Route 66 gas stations are interesting but are not the only way of creating concepts + their concept doesn’t really take into account site context or environment AT ALL. They just look cool – that’s it.
“Gas station”: for columns and a roof with a closed space for the market. This is an attempt to break this stereotype perception of a gas station by using the context.Unlike the route 66 gas stations it is not “themed”, because obviously the main concern for the architects was not to build a gas station and a restaurant; but to create a building that gives a sense of place. It might not have occurred to some of you but I felt that this building was built in CH before I read the article. That means they have met their goal.
compare it to the gas station you pump gas in…wich is better?…for me it’s obvious that this wins
GREAT JOB
8:40 AM Mar 19th
Viamala Raststätte Service Station / Iseppi-Kurath http://bit.ly/aIKRIC
4:46 PM Mar 20th
Very cool service station by Swiss architects Iseppi / Kurath http://is.gd/aQD53 on archdaily.com