Joseph M. Madda
One of the best jobs I ever had was heading the 1990’s Architectural Division of a well-known engineering, architecture and construction management firm in Southern California. As Architect of Record for this large corporation, I was responsible for all the architectural projects produced by my team of 30-plus employees. There was a recession on at the time; my architectural folks, along with all the engineering disciplines in other divisions, needed more work, pronto!
One day, I discovered an RFP (Request for Proposal) from Unocal Corporation inviting design and engineering proposals for a new gasoline service station program. My firm had virtually no experience with such a building type. Consequently none of my engineering colleagues were interested. But, out of desperation I decided to go after it.
The ensuing story is quite a tale. In a frenzied week, my staff and I put a short list presentation together (over three hours long) unlike anything from the competition. We employed 3-D visualization video, quite new at the time, along with a dozen fanciful scale models of “The Service Station of the Future.”
The client reps were blown away. They were looking for a new approach, and we definitely gave it to them. In the end we picked up a major new client, resulting in millions of dollars in fees over several years. I became a Vice President there because of it. We designed a whole program of prototype buildings and site adapted them to over 200 sites throughout the Western US.
Throughout my architectural career, I occasionally have written articles on design and construction for various media, both in print and later online. As the Unocal program progressed, I was asked to write about it for a trade publication. I submitted my text and was published. To my surprise, not only was my article in the magazine. One of our just built stations graced the March/April 1995 cover of “Petroleum Marketing Management” magazine.
As you can see, our modernist architecture provided a unique look back then. There is the curving canopy motif we chose covering both the fueling station and the convenience store behind. There is the “Fast Break” store entrance under a chisel-form skylight tower displaying the famous Unocal 76 sphere within. We called it our “ball under glass” theme, which had never been done before. We also invented the long orange tubes adorning the canopy and store roof edges. These light fixtures would project a consistent theme, our “lines of light” to attract the passing motorist after dark.
Admittedly not a popular periodical, yet nevertheless well known in that particular industry. Now, I have had designs published both before and after in magazines and newspapers. But never had my work been on the cover. Regardless of how obscure the venue, I was, to say the least. inordinately pleased. To this day, I carefully treasure a copy of that PMM issue in my files.