Innovative service station design wows in Argentina

argentina-based studio PON arquitectos presents its rancagua service station as a gridded, long-spanning surface. the program is organized beneath a monumental and modular ‘great roof,’ which serves to inform and order the activities below without the introduction of secondary partitions. the design of the station, photographed by gonzalo viramonte, is driven by a series of moves aimed at making efficient use of the land and circulation, titled by the design team at ‘innovation, sustainability and profitability.’

images by gonzalo viramonte

in the design of its rancagua service station, PON arquitectos lays out three primary design strategies. with the first, ‘innovation,’ the team reimagines the service station as a place that is at once functional and social. while the project is fit with its essential service programs, it introduces to the neighborhood an unexpected place of social gathering. with the rancagua station, warm light and plant-life are incorporated as fundamental elements.

PON arquitectos designs modular rancagua service station with solar panels and plant-life

the second strategy driving the design of PON arquitectos’ rancagua station is defined as ‘sustainability.’ with this in mind, the team makes efficient and non-excessive use of available materials resources, maintaining an element of openness to the surrounding environment, and integrating pre-existing trees and vegetation. the design team allows for natural light to reduce energy consumption, and the makes use of the 4500 square meter roof surface for the installation of solar panels. with the third strategy, ‘profitability,’ PON arquitectos’ rancagua station is designed to generate the maximum amount of functional and atmospheric value. the space will improve the standard of operational capacity, fluid vehicular circulation, customer experience, land use, and strong commercial presence of the oil company.