The GULF service station in Cancún is conceived as a contemporary mobility hub that merges efficiency, brand visibility and comfort within a tropical coastal context. The architecture translates the corporate identity into a sequence of dynamic blue and orange surfaces, creating a recognizable urban landmark along the highway while remaining visually light and open to the landscape. The composition balances the horizontal emphasis of the canopies with the sculpted volume of the convenience store, generating a cohesive ensemble that frames the flow of vehicles and pedestrians.
The project reinterprets the traditional gas station typology by integrating fueling, retail and quick-service functions into a single, legible layout. Generous overhangs, transparent façades and clear circulation lines promote intuitive use, prioritizing safety and rapid orientation for users arriving by car, bicycle or on foot.
The masterplan organizes the forecourt as a broad, unobstructed platform where the fuel islands are aligned perpendicularly to the main access, facilitating direct entry and exit movements. The canopy is dimensioned to maximize shade during the hottest hours, while maintaining sufficient free height for various vehicle types. Perimeter landscaping softens the interface with the surrounding vegetation, framing views towards the dense tree line characteristic of the region.
The convenience store and ancillary volumes are placed laterally, generating a clear separation between fueling operations and retail parking. This arrangement allows pedestrians to move safely from parked vehicles to the store through marked walkways, without crossing the main circulation lanes. Service areas and deliveries are concealed to the rear, preserving the clean, branded front elevation.
The architectural language is defined by elongated horizontal lines, rounded transitions and a precise chromatic contrast between white structural frames, deep blue infill panels and orange highlights. The main store volume is articulated as a streamlined bar with cantilevered corners, suggesting movement and echoing automotive aesthetics. Large glass fronts dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, transforming the store into a luminous showcase, especially during evening hours.
Materials are selected for durability and low maintenance in a humid, saline environment: steel and aluminum claddings with baked enamel finishes, high-reflectance composite panels on soffits, and non-slip concrete paving with integral expansion joints. The canopy underside employs reflective, easy-to-clean surfaces that amplify artificial lighting and enhance perceived security at night.
Inside the Gulf Mart, the layout is organized around a central service counter with clear merchandising corridors radiating from it. Warm white lighting, combined with accent strips in brand colors, guides customers through snacks, beverages and automotive accessories. Tall refrigerated walls, low gondolas and transparent product displays ensure maximum visibility while maintaining comfortable sightlines across the store.
The interior palette balances bright corporate tones with neutral flooring and ceilings, avoiding visual fatigue and enabling rapid product identification. Finishes prioritize robustness and hygiene: vinyl or porcelain tile floors with high abrasion resistance, laminated cabinetry and impact-resistant wall panels in high-traffic zones. The overall ambience is that of a compact, efficient mini-market that invites brief but pleasant stays.
Artificial lighting plays a strategic role in transforming the station into a safe, attractive node after dusk. LED luminaires integrated into the canopy perimeter generate a continuous luminous band that reinforces the station’s silhouette from a distance. Vertical signs and totems are backlit to ensure visibility while avoiding glare towards the roadway.
Within the retail volume, controlled brightness levels create hierarchy between the facade display and the interior shelves, functioning as an illuminated “urban showcase.” Accent lighting on structural frames and signage underlines the architectural geometry and maintains coherence between the forecourt and interior spaces.
Sustainability strategies are embedded in the morphology and technical specification of the project. The extended canopies and deep overhangs substantially reduce direct solar gain on vehicles and glazed surfaces, improving user comfort and diminishing cooling loads inside the store. High-performance glazing combined with external shading optimizes natural daylight while limiting heat transmission.
LED lighting with smart controls is proposed throughout the complex, reducing energy consumption and maintenance. The canopy offers potential integration of photovoltaic panels, transforming the large roof surface into an energy-generating plane. Permeable or semi-permeable paved areas and perimeter planting beds contribute to rainwater infiltration, mitigate surface temperatures and visually connect the station with Cancún’s lush tropical environment.
The GULF service station in Cancún is conceived as a contemporary mobility hub that merges efficiency, brand visibility and comfort within a tropical coastal context. The architecture translates the corporate identity into a sequence of dynamic blue and orange surfaces, creating a recognizable urban landmark along the highway while remaining visually light and open to the landscape. The composition balances the horizontal emphasis of the canopies with the sculpted volume of the convenience store, generating a cohesive ensemble that frames the flow of vehicles and pedestrians.
The project reinterprets the traditional gas station typology by integrating fueling, retail and quick-service functions into a single, legible layout. Generous overhangs, transparent façades and clear circulation lines promote intuitive use, prioritizing safety and rapid orientation for users arriving by car, bicycle or on foot.
The masterplan organizes the forecourt as a broad, unobstructed platform where the fuel islands are aligned perpendicularly to the main access, facilitating direct entry and exit movements. The canopy is dimensioned to maximize shade during the hottest hours, while maintaining sufficient free height for various vehicle types. Perimeter landscaping softens the interface with the surrounding vegetation, framing views towards the dense tree line characteristic of the region.
The convenience store and ancillary volumes are placed laterally, generating a clear separation between fueling operations and retail parking. This arrangement allows pedestrians to move safely from parked vehicles to the store through marked walkways, without crossing the main circulation lanes. Service areas and deliveries are concealed to the rear, preserving the clean, branded front elevation.
The architectural language is defined by elongated horizontal lines, rounded transitions and a precise chromatic contrast between white structural frames, deep blue infill panels and orange highlights. The main store volume is articulated as a streamlined bar with cantilevered corners, suggesting movement and echoing automotive aesthetics. Large glass fronts dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, transforming the store into a luminous showcase, especially during evening hours.
Materials are selected for durability and low maintenance in a humid, saline environment: steel and aluminum claddings with baked enamel finishes, high-reflectance composite panels on soffits, and non-slip concrete paving with integral expansion joints. The canopy underside employs reflective, easy-to-clean surfaces that amplify artificial lighting and enhance perceived security at night.
Inside the Gulf Mart, the layout is organized around a central service counter with clear merchandising corridors radiating from it. Warm white lighting, combined with accent strips in brand colors, guides customers through snacks, beverages and automotive accessories. Tall refrigerated walls, low gondolas and transparent product displays ensure maximum visibility while maintaining comfortable sightlines across the store.
The interior palette balances bright corporate tones with neutral flooring and ceilings, avoiding visual fatigue and enabling rapid product identification. Finishes prioritize robustness and hygiene: vinyl or porcelain tile floors with high abrasion resistance, laminated cabinetry and impact-resistant wall panels in high-traffic zones. The overall ambience is that of a compact, efficient mini-market that invites brief but pleasant stays.
Artificial lighting plays a strategic role in transforming the station into a safe, attractive node after dusk. LED luminaires integrated into the canopy perimeter generate a continuous luminous band that reinforces the station’s silhouette from a distance. Vertical signs and totems are backlit to ensure visibility while avoiding glare towards the roadway.
Within the retail volume, controlled brightness levels create hierarchy between the facade display and the interior shelves, functioning as an illuminated “urban showcase.” Accent lighting on structural frames and signage underlines the architectural geometry and maintains coherence between the forecourt and interior spaces.
Sustainability strategies are embedded in the morphology and technical specification of the project. The extended canopies and deep overhangs substantially reduce direct solar gain on vehicles and glazed surfaces, improving user comfort and diminishing cooling loads inside the store. High-performance glazing combined with external shading optimizes natural daylight while limiting heat transmission.
LED lighting with smart controls is proposed throughout the complex, reducing energy consumption and maintenance. The canopy offers potential integration of photovoltaic panels, transforming the large roof surface into an energy-generating plane. Permeable or semi-permeable paved areas and perimeter planting beds contribute to rainwater infiltration, mitigate surface temperatures and visually connect the station with Cancún’s lush tropical environment.
Our offices are located in Barcelona, Cancún, Chicago and Santo Domingo, but thanks to technology we can do projects on all over the world.
Barcelona
Bac de Roda 136
08020, Barcelona
Spain
Madrid
Av. de Buendía 11
19005 Guadalajara (Madrid)
Spain
Chicago
373 Hazel Ave, Apt A1
60022, Glencoe, Illinois
United States