context / idea
"Autobahn"-intersections (motorway intersections) as seen from the air have a beauty that you can't perceive from elsewhere. These intersections, when viewed at a large scale, read as naturally grown objects; however they are manmade and their form does not derive from creative thoughts, but merely from logical aspects. "Autobahn"-intersections must allow the driver to change between two high speed roads at high safety and minimum use of time. Everything is calculated and designed for speed. Nothing else would explain the vast amounts of space needed for this transition.

concept
I intended to make it possible to experience a motorway junction. This should happen by the means of a service station. It should be equally experienced both by drivers that use the junction only for its basic function - i.e. Transit - and by users of the service station, that is laid on top of the junction. Thus it is designed for the moving and non-moving viewer. Speed figures, as much as spatial impressions that render the complexity and geometry of the junction visible or even exaggerate them.

Execution
As location I chose the motorway intersection in Darmstadt, Germany. The service station sits on top of the junction to serve four directions. There is no central building, the service station rather consists of lanes on that you can park. The parking place, slightly bigger than traditional parking place, give you access to the entire range of services expected of a service station. Peripheral service elements, located at every parking place, contain a specially designed petrol pump, a pneumatic tube output and a so called pay-station on that you can pay and order food, beverage, magazines etc. You chose something on a full color TFT touchscreen and seconds later it arrives at the pneumatic tube output. There is a rain protection - a large "umbrella" that opens automatically, controlled by sensors. There are toilets every 60m on the car parks. The lorry parking places additionally have showers. All this serves the short-time user of the service station. In addition to that, "fun-bridges" (labeled A-E in the plan) connect the separate parking-lanes (staircases or at some places planar bridges connect the bridges to car- and lorry-parking-lanes). The alignment of the fun bridges is inspired by the image of a DNA strand. Car lanes are the double helix, fun bridges are the base pairings that connect perpendicular to the double helix. Trees and grass cover the bridges. Banks and heaters are arranged along the path. Small children's playgrounds are placed every here and there to make the path attractive to children. They are motivated to move from one playground to the other. A swimming-lane connects fun-bridges B and C to offer quick sport-activity; a knee-deep, narrow but long and cold track of water promisses extremely fast refreshment between the fun-bridges C and D. A "mobile garage" drives on the lorry-lanes. Cars with problems use these lanes.

Explanation of the jury
(the project got a prize at the "Renault Traffic-Design Award)
Junctions and service stations were always separated. The one is the space to change directions quickly, the other is a space to relax and refuel in order to continue travelling well-rested. Kai Kasugais proposal thus was quite surprising. He combines spaces to relax and spaces to drive at the (even now) gigantic traffic interchange. He multiplies the lanes, lays huge concrete structures on top - parking spaces for lorries and cars. In this monumental structure, he connects lanes with green "fun-bridges" that invite for walking, swimming and relaxing surrounded by noise and exhaust. While the concept of a normal service station traditionally solves functions like restaurant, toilets and the service station itself with central buildings, Kasugai proposes to loosen any communal places. He rather puts service elements where they are needed. Like a drive-in cinema or a drive-in restaurant, where catering is delivered directly to the car. A pneumatic tube system is provided for this purpose. A pay-station, a rain-controlled umbrella, a toilet every 60 meter: The perfection of service on the motorway does allow controversial interpretations. Kasugais project is readable as a hortative nightmare as well as a visionary, ironic sensation. Besides this ambivalence, the jury was also convinced by the clearly communicated and highly detailed project.

For the following files you will need a divX compatible Movie Player (info on www.divx.com)!
130_passing.avi [2,8MB] - passing the project with 130 kilometers per hour
130_bridge.avi [1,9MB] - flying over one of the fun-bridges