Peddle Thorp Architects & Antoine Damery wins the “Westgate express design competition ” for United Petroleum

Antoine Damery’s design proposal for the  ” United Petroleum westgate express”  in collaboration with Peddle Thorp Architects has been selected  for the upgrade of the existing westgate  service centre located  in Port Melbourne, Australia.

Antoine Damery  has designed the Westgate express  project  to reflect the faceted and multi edge design of some of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings. Located on the fringe of the city, the building connects back through its aesthetic to the multiple new developments visible along the freeway such as the Southgate development, AAMI Park and responds, in its design, to the Westgate Freeway upgrade.

The new service centre will extend the city’s urban edge to the west and will promote the site as a western gateway to the city of Melbourne.

The canopy design is intended to become an icon for Melbourne’s cityscape, reproducing the notion of speed and sculpted automotive engineering. Its geometry is defined by two unfolding ‘wings’ interacting with and balancing each other. This ‘feel’ of movement and height creates a dynamic and highly visual sculptural form.

In contrast to the cold urban and industrial surrounds, the design introduces the extensive use of ‘natural’ materials, such as timber on the internal face of the canopy. The warm colour and soft environmental textures of the timber, in conjunction with landscape design creates an ambient and natural atmosphere, softening the dominance of the freeway.

The new design follows the tradition of innovation brought to the site in the early 80’s – the introduction of uncommon materials and design elements, providing the user with an unprecedented service station experience.