Station 404

HM of Archi-Hack: Gas Station

+ HONOURABLE MENTION

Archi-Hack: Gas Station

[17681]

Station 404

Team

Name: Arnold Xhelili

Instagram: arnold_xhelili

Nationality: Albanian / Greek

Institution / Company: Architect

Name: Aristea  – Evangelia Koukounouri

Instagram: aristea_kou

Nationality: Greek

Institution / Company: Architect

In a future where positive emotions are no longer produced, society has been stripped of happiness, love, hope, courage, and calm—leaving only negative feelings. With the transition to electric vehicles, traditional gas stations have become obsolete—yet they have found a new purpose. Hidden beneath their abandoned structures, underground reserves now store synthetic emotions, distilled into liquid form and dispensed through vending machines. Citizens, desperate for a fleeting moment of joy or strength, visit these stations to refuel their feelings. In this dystopian reality, emotion is the new fuel, and gas stations are the last refuge for those who can no longer feel.

Jury Comments

– Station 404 presents a highly imaginative response to the brief, envisioning a dystopian future where emotions become fuel and gas stations no longer serve vehicles but people. The project’s critical lens on infrastructure is powerfully conveyed through the choice of a worm’s-eye axonometric, which foregrounds the typically concealed tank systems. This perspective effectively emphasizes the hierarchy of elements, drawing attention to the underground storage and distribution of liquid feelings. The conceptual ambition, coupled with a strong representational strategy, makes this proposal a compelling and thought-provoking entry. | Pablo Castillo Luna