Project overview: As society pivots away from fossil fuels, Electric Oasis envisions a rapidly deployable system capable of converting existing gas stations to EV charging destinations, turning a typically mundane experience into a destination. The architectural solution utilizes three key components, which have been broken into easily erectable steel modules.
First are the tree-like canopies, which can be adapted for shading, rain/solar collection, or act as a green armature depending on a particular region’s needs. Second is the whimsical elevated walking path, which invokes a sense of discovery and wonder, inviting the public to engage with the architecture and with one another within the planted allee central to the site arrangement. Finally, the community resiliency hubs are programmed to serve not only travelers awaiting their charge, but also members of the rural communities along interstate corridors which have long suffered from divestment. Programs are based on specific community needs and provide employment opportunities including daycares, retail, and health clinics.
Below the earth’s surface, the project is also serving a secondary function—site remediation. Embedded in the canopy footings are aeration armatures cleaning the contaminated soil conditions left by the previous gas station. This not only improves the immediate site, but also continues to better the local ecosystem for years to come. Electric Oasis presents a vision for how we interact with infrastructure in the future, while directly addressing the needs of the community and the environment.
Project location: Buttonwillow, New York
Firm name: Level Studio Architecture
Jury comments: The narrative is compelling in how a former gas station can be transformed into a communal hub with EV charging stations. The structure is noted partly as shading structure and solar collection in its narrative.
