and then figure out how to make any necessary changes . It ’ s not always a onesize-fits-all approach that ’ s called for .”
For the past two years , Mark Paschke , an Ayres architect , has been bringing his expertise to the design work involved in retrofitting existing Kwik Trip stores .
“ They ’ re trying to bring all their multigenerational stores up to modern standards ,” Paschke said .
Many Kwik Trips include a car wash in a building separate from the store . In some of these locations , redesign plans include building a new structure “ to infill that space between the existing store and the existing car wash ,” Paschke said .
Also new to the design of a growing number of Kwik Trip stores is “ a sort of truckers ’ lounge ” that includes bath and shower facilities , he said . “ This is a place for truckers so they can relax a bit from their travels .”
To meet the growing needs of today ’ s Kwik Trip stores , many of the retrofit projects have called for nearly doubling them in size .
“ Many Kwik Trips are more than a convenience store ,” Paschke said . “ They ’ re offering a lot of what a local grocery store would offer . In many places it ’ s become kind of a one-stop shopping location .”
Designs result from teamwork
Jake Zander , an Ayres structural engineer , said his group ’ s role in the Kwik Trip projects is governed by the designs created by others on the Ayres team , ensuring that the building is structurally sound and capable of supporting changes implemented by the design team .
“ Most design considerations are architecturally driven ,” Zander said . “ Our job is to make sure the building will stand up .
“ We design the wood trusses , bearing walls , and foundations . And the kind of question we always must answer is , ‘ Can the roof and walls we ’ re designing support what the others want to do with their designs ?’ ”
Typically , with preliminary ideas for a project in mind , Ayres team members will visit a project site to get a clearer picture of what the design challenges are and discuss them with Kwik Trip officials .
“ We ’ ll take our drawings to the site visit , mark them up , and take notes about anything hindering those plans ,” Zander said . “ I ’ ve definitely stuck my head into a few dusty attics to see if a building ’ s trusses are in good shape .”
10 | TRENDS Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .