Harper Auto Wash

Barber McMurry designed Harper Auto Wash to delivery a luxury customer experience without a luxury construction budget — respecting the beauty inherent in simple materials, and architecturally elevating the typical utilitarian car wash program.

The design leverages common industrial materials, composed and detailed to create a clean, modern architectural solution. The corrugated metal siding features a randomized profile and color pattern that floats above a base of exposed concrete block and storefront. The limited material palette is further embellished with a dynamic, white and gray color striation across the building's elevation.

The plan is conceived as a simple rectangle, with the wash and finishing bays positioned along the lengths of the building, and coffee shop and customer lounge centrally located between each bay. The coffee shop is bracketed with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows to capture daylight. The staggered acoustic baffles and lighting draw inspiration from the automotive world. The attention-grabbing wood slats at the coffee kiosk add warmth and a biophilic element to the clean, minimalist aesthetic.