Beautifying Service Stations 1927

NOW that the automotive industry has developed to the point where methods and products are fairly standard it would be appropriate if a good measure of attention might be given to the more attractive design of buildings.

MoToR asked James R e n w i c k Thomson, a New York architect, his opinion of the usual run of architecture and asked him to re-draw according to his own ideas a typical automotive structure.

For this purpose an average small town garage and service station was photographed with the permissions of the owner and Mr. Thomson asked to redraw the building with the same capacity and general characteristics but with beautification effected wherever possible. The photograph on this page is the existing structure. Mr. Thomson’s drawing is at the top of the page.

To make the necessary changes at the time the building was being planned might have added, Mr. Thomson stated, about fifteen or twenty per cent to the cost.

There are, according to Mr. Thomson, a few major points that mean much to the appearance of a building. He has set forth the main differences in the two designs.

In the first place, he used small paned windows instead of the large plate glass. The small panes may have disadvantages but they do not affect the usefulness of the building and do add to its beauty.

First floor windows were made more prominent and second floor windows less prominent. Second floor lighting is by means of skylights.

Signs, such as the name of the garage, have been made part of the building itself.

The gasoline pumps have been made artisticâ€”an item that is quite possible.

Bulletin boards have been made decorative and ornaments have been placed in the panels between the windows on the second floor front.

Underlying it all is a sincere effort to bring about a symmetry and a balance which, while adding a bit to the cost of the building, does not add to the cost in anything like the same proportion that beauty is contributed.

The interior of the building was not touched by Mr. Thomson and no reference is made to it, because this. article has to do entirely with outside appearance.

Throughout America are many garages and service stations and the number is being rapidly increased. In many of them a slight increase in the cost for sake of appearance would in the end prove a good investment for the business.

Source: MoToR Magazine, January 1927

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