The American Institute of Steel Construction announced the winner of its 2023 Forge Prize on Thursday, March 30, at an online ceremony in Chicago. The winning entry was a design for an electric vehicle charging station. The $10,000 prize was established in 2018 to recognize up-and-coming architects who develop bold new projects prioritizing steel as a foundational element and experimenting with new methods for accelerating construction.
Lee, Taurasi, and White’s entry, Electric Oasis, which uses structural steel to reimagine the gas station for the era of electric vehicles, was awarded the grand 2023 Forge Prize of $10,000. Assisted by Christian Crosby, Schuff Steel’s senior vice president, they were able to hone their vision and streamline the process by which it would be realized in steel.
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“You’ve infused a certain level of magic into something very mundane that we normally give no second thought to, not just waiting for the charging, but also what you can do with that time. Today, everyone is searching for ways to save time and energy, so no one wants to sit idle while their car charges.” Melanie Harris, AIA, LSSYB, NCARB, national healing practice head at BSA Life Structures, and Forge Prize judge.
2023 Forge Prize Winner: Electric Oasis
Electric Oasis was conceived by LVL (Level) Studio’s Christopher Taurasi, Lexi White, and Jeffrey Lee as a quickly transportable proposal that redefines conventional gas stations as centers for charging electric cars. A bio-remediating ventilation system is housed in tree-like steel canopies outside of Los Angeles to remove ethanol pollution from decommissioned gasoline storage tanks, providing welcome relief from the sweltering California heat.
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“Refueling a vehicle at a gas station typically takes about seven minutes. Most charging stations are only level two, which means a complete charge can take up to four and a half hours. We can transform the filling station into a model for economic renewal in our communities.” As Lee put it.
Now the question is how to spend it. The team imagined drivers chilling out, working, playing, shopping, and maybe even getting medical care while their cars charge, creating new possibilities for the local economies near highway intersections.
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These recharge stations awarded the 2023 Forge Prize, stand out thanks to their eye-catching steel canopies. Their main application is for a location within the range of the average electric vehicle traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This location features a looping pathway through the canopies, which visitors can experience in just over 15 minutes.
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The walkway links structures that will house a variety of uses, including shops and offices (all of which will have solar panels on the top). Those nodes have an attractive and practical steel screen that blocks the sun for three hours daily, reducing solar radiation.
Steel’s distinctive flexible potential is leveraged in the design to enable cost-effective, rapid construction. The material’s reuse and rotational distribution system contribute to a greater sense of sustainability while reimagining the infrastructure.
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“This is a car-centric culture; bear in mind that its implications extend to a very wide range of locations all over the United States. Repurposing what we already have into a more robust, economically viable, and long-lasting answer is fantastic.” Noted 2023 Forge Prize Judge Rona Rothenberg, FAIA, DBIA, the 2022 president of AIA California.
While drivers are savoring the amenities, the soil is being cleaned up behind the scenes. The design incorporates a system to remove any remaining gas station-related ground pollution.
