Soboba Roadrunner Express is part of the first phase of development for the Soboba Master Plan. The site plan for the Soboba Master Plan calls for a rest area and recreation area to be enjoyed as much by the local community as by travelers. Roadrunner Express is the distillation of an involved process where we considered every angle with key tribe leaders and laid the groundwork to secure consensus from our client stakeholders. KTGY’s designers took a high-level view for the site plan and carried that mission down to eye level for the convenience store. Roadrunner Express was envisioned as a gateway to the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indian Tribe’s community, casino and lands.
Roadrunner Express evokes a welcoming atmosphere with distinctly warm exterior architecture. The long, graceful arch of the roof protects the structure and people within it, while inviting travelers off the road. Timber supports and a stonework facade are carefully lit to have a cozy, rustic appeal that will be nostalgic to road-trippers, but with contemporary shape and presence. Part of what makes Roadrunner Express welcoming is its architectural honesty. Exposed beams and timber signal both transparency and strength to people stopping in.
The materials reflect the surrounding desert landscape and nearby mountains. The materiality, colors and textures are all carefully drawn form the surrounding environment to invoke an immediate identity, to make this stand out against the replicable design of a chain convenience store.
