This project is one of many small commercial strip shopping center projects across Northeast Florida. The design of these strip retail buildings follows pretty standard development parameters, very boxy, and driven by maximum leasable space for the lowest cost. The architects had three larger design responses to work with. The first was

to have a little fun and look back to some ideas of the typical shopping centers of the 1960’s like slender pipe columns supporting flat canopies, vertical tower elements and color. The second was the building owner was taking one of the tenant spaces to open a satellite office so there was a desire to set them apart from the other tenants but leave primary visibility and signage for a different anchor tenant. 

But what sets this project apart is how the architects turned a negative site restriction into a positive design influence that drove the rest of the building’s design, resulting in a more unique solution instead of just another typical response. Placing the most efficient size “Box” allowed on the site, within the setbacks and vehicular use areas, created a building footprint that overlapped with a 30’ force main easement. creating an awkward juxtaposition. Instead of working around it the architect used it to create an anchor tenant space geared towards restaurant use. The angled wall creates a small outdoor seating area with views inside with large wall areas of glass and signage opportunities. The angle sets up the vertical signage tower for the client’s tenant space on the other side.