Projects: Travel Centers of America
Prototype Terminal and Shop Building
and Existing Facility Re-Image

Goals:
In 1997 Truck stops of America acquired National Travelcenters and merged two chains of truck stops into the largest truck stop network in the world, encompassing 125 facilities in 36 states. The former British Petroleum owned company’s plan calls for the conversion of these truck stops into travel centers serving motorists and professional drivers. Van Dijk Pace Westlake Architects was commissioned to design a new prototype travel center, develop plans for remodeling and re-imaging existing buildings in the network, and develop a scheme for new signage and colors. Currently, the design work is completed and construction of the prototype is to be completed in late 1998 or early 1999.

Description: Travel Center Prototype Designed as a gesture towards America’s motorized culture and roadside landscape, the 30,000 square foot travel center prototype balances the needs of both professional drivers and motorists. The combination terminal and shop building is sited among parking for 150 trucks, 90 motorists, and 10 recreational vehicles with two separate site and building entrances, both gas and diesel fueling islands, and a fast food drive-through. The prototype program for the prototype features a retail store including a convenience area, two dining areas (one for a full-service restaurant and the other for three fast food offerings with a bakery), an attached 3-4 bay truck service shop, and an expansive professional driver amenities area including a retail store, showers, a video arcade, television lounge, conference rooms, telephone area, and laundry facility.

 The building is also programmed with support areas including two kitchens, a parts and tire storage area, restrooms, retail storage, and facility management and staff offices. The prototype travel center design is bi-polar in plan, reflecting the separation of the facility’s services for both motorists and professional drivers. Shared amenities are linked by a wide, sky lit hallway, providing clear access to restrooms and telephones while allowing circulation to flow through retail areas. Facility support areas are arranged at the building perimeter for service and delivery requirements.

The design breaks down tariffs and barriers between the professional drivers and the motorists, or four-wheelers. Early concepts included the submersion of a chromed eighteen-wheel truck cab in the facade of the fast food wing. This embedded truck was to function as a playland for motorists’ children. The pick-up window continues this theme as burgers are loaded out of the back of the truck trailer. The blue, white, and red striped awning which dominates the restaurant wing is a parody of the well-recognized icon for roadside franchise dining. The combination of the sweeping vault and pylon serve to both identify and unify TravelCenters of America’s network of new and existing facilities. Further, the design of this project was proven in market testing compared to competitor facilities by both motorist and professional driver testing groups.

Existing Facility Re-Image:
The re-image projects serve to integrate and upgrade the existing network of truck stop facilities to travel centers. Existing terminal and truck shop buildings will receive an exterior remodeling which includes new entrances for both motorists and professional drivers, lighting, signage, and color scheme. These facilities will be reprogrammed as needed and interior upgrades will be made for the retail store, dining areas, restrooms, and the driver amenities areas. Some buildings are scheduled to be expanded to provide additional services including fast food restaurants and drive-through windows.

In addition, a highway high rise sign was designed in the vocabulary of the prototype building to broadcast the new image of TravelCenters of America.

Location: Currently in construction in 12 states; entire program in 36 states
Firm's Responsibility: Facility Design 100%, Construction Administration
Construction Cost:  Estimated $7,200,000 per new project
$1,000,000 per Re-Image Project