A Sustainable Fueling Station for Motor and Mind
Electric Autonomy Canada - The Electric Fueling Station of the Future: A Design Competition. Waypoint One Receives Honourable Mention.
Waypoint One is a highway rest stop that provides a charging hub for electric vehicles as well as a space for personal health and wellness. From the daily commuter to the adventure traveler, the goal is to better connect and elevate the travel experience and create spaces that recharge and restore both motor and mind.
Travel is movement. Asphalt and concrete connect us over vast distances outstretched over a diverse terrain. We navigate peaks and passes, Zephyrs and Chinooks and the trafficked congestion of our cities. Waypoint One is a pause along the journey, an interruption of motion for stillness and calm.
To create an experience of renewal and promote the transition to a low carbon future, Waypoint One is inspired by our natural environment. Sustainable building techniques and natural materials are the basis of the design as they educate and connect us to local ecology and natural ecosystems while also having the capacity to improve our physical and mental wellbeing.
A wood timber canopy forms a central pavilion around which electric vehicles of varying size and type can recharge. The timber structure rises over the charging area, creating an inviting beacon and a welcoming arrival. Extending inward to a protected internal courtyard, the canopy forms a partially covered space sheltered from rain and snow.
The central courtyard offers a refuge of serene and calm. The focal point is a water feature of black granite. The sight and sound of water invite refection while masking distant road noise. Regenerative gardens introduce an organic element and bring seasonal colour and dimension. Vertical wood louvre screens provide protection from cold winds, dampen noise from distant roadways and shield users from vehicle headlights. The size of the space lends a more private experience for personal repose and renewal.
Inspired by the Indigenous Peoples’ Medicine Wheel this communal area supports collective social engagement and dialogue. Inlaid markings reference cardinal quadrants as well as the health and healing elements of earth (mental wisdom and strength), fire (spiritual energy), water (emotion and heart), and air (physical mindfulness). Tall wood-clad back rests create an intimate experience that invites an inward gaze while minimizing highway noise beyond.
1. Solar photovoltaic panels integrated within roof structures 2. On-site battery storage for micro-grid power supply 3. Carbon sequestering DLT (Dowel-Laminated-Timber) engineered wood structure using Douglas fir 4. Below grade rainwater collection reservoir for use as gray water system for plumbing fixtures and plant irrigation 5. Low consumption and long life LED lighting 6. Linear open air skylights to provide natural lighting 7. Cantilevered overhang and window openings strategically designed to optimize shade for glare and heat gain control 8. Integrated exhibition panels for curated art and installations featuring local history, geography, ecology and heritage
On-site power generation with renewable technologies as well as energy storage can operate in conjunction with or autonomous from a central grid to provide greater capacity, resilience and affordability for recharging electric vehicles. A. Rooftop solar panels B. Energy storage unit with viewing window
Waypoint One combines advanced green technologies with an approach to space that connects us to our natural environment. Through this process we reach our full potential - grounded in place while supporting expansion and growth. Recognizing the familiar while embracing the new, this holistic experience leaves us recharged and restored for a resilient and sustainable future.