The phrase "concrete gas station in Slovakia" doesn't exactly conjure up visions of elegant design and graceful curves. If anything, thoughts may turn instantly to coarse Brutalist architecture, something akin to the block towers that can be spotted across the former Communist landscape. That is, until you look at this minimalist structure devised by Czech firm Atelier SAD. Completed late last year in the southern Slovakian city of Dunajská Streda, this gas station is capped with a thin swoosh of concrete, a raw but refined piece of roadside infrastructure that creates a simple shelter for motorists with a minimum of materials. Uninterrupted by gutters, the curved roof channels water over the supporting walls, which, over time, will create a natural patina.
Architects Adam Jirkal and Jerry Koza also shoehorned a small kiosk, built from black alucobond panels, underneath the curbed roof, ad a pair of round windows, like portholes, provide natural light. This isn't Candela- or Niemeyer-level concrete artistry, but for a region that often gets unfairly maligned for its big, bulky structures, unique projects such as this show that small gestures can make a big difference.
· Previous Brutalism coverage [Curbed]
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