"Wawa" is the Lenni Lenape Indian word for wild goose, but in the Philadelphia area it is synonymous with the chain of convenience stores owned by the company. The company currently has approximately 1,000 stores ranging from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Virginia.

The Wood family has owned businesses in the Delaware Valley for over two hundred years, and they remain the majority shareholders of Wawa, Inc. The Red Roof campus was originally the location of the home of one of the members of the Wood family. The house, constructed in 1916 and now converted to office use, still forms the emotional heart of the campus and the company. It also is the template for the use of materials and the scale of subsequent additions to the campus.

As the company grew, several one- and two-story additions were added to the original house, for a total of 50,000 SF of space. During the master plan phase of this most recent project, it was determined that a new building (Annex 4) of approximately 58,000 SF was required to adequately support the company’s current and projected operations, thus doubling the amount of office and related space on campus. The staff cohort was anticipated to grow to 372. Following construction of the addition, the existing office space would undergo complete renovation.

On the exterior, the design of Annex 4 integrates the new building into the rest of the campus, despite its increased scale. Pilasters of alternating widths occur at column lines, punctuating the horizontal bands of windows. Exterior sunshades further reduce the apparent scale of the building. The elevation’s third floor is designed as an attic, with metal panels employed for the exterior finish material, in lieu of the cementitious materials used on the lower two floors.

The neutral color palette of natural materials on the exterior of Annex 4 was selected for its compatibility with both the existing buildings on the campus, and the surrounding landscape. The Pennsylvania Mica used for the base and pilasters around the perimeter and at the two prominent stair towers is from the same quarry as the stone used for the original Wood family house. Portland cement plaster is used for the spandrel panels. Limestone sills, copings, and pilasters provide horizontal and vertical accent elements. The metal panels at the third floor level are zinc- and tin-coated stainless steel, and will weather to a light metallic gray.

Throughout the design and documentation of Annex 4, issues of sustainability and energy-consciousness were addressed. All of the windows and exterior doors and storefronts in Annex 4 are glazed with insulated glass with a low-e coating. Exterior sun shades on the east, south, and west elevations reduce HVAC loads within the building by reducing sun-generated solar heat gain. The stone used throughout the building is quarried within 5 miles of the project site, thus minimizing the energy required to fabricate and transport the building materials.

Inside, the design reflects Wawa’s corporate ethics and culture. As a company, Wawa values its associates and the contribution each individual makes to the organization, and places a premium on maintaining quality throughout its operations. There is respect for past achievements and the history of the company, but also a constant evolution into new markets.

Annex 4 incorporates many spaces designed to promote interaction between associates, both informal and formal. These shared amenities are designed as focal points for Annex 4 and Wawa’s associates and include the following features:

• Coffee stations on each floor contain lounge seating and also a small meeting table and marker boards, to accommodate impromptu meetings or meetings that do not require privacy.
• A communicating stair featuring wide tread widths and generous landings, to allow conversations to occur without blocking through-traffic. It is fully enclosed, but offers spectacular views of the surrounding farmland through large panels of point-supported glazing.
• Conference Rooms are provided at a ratio of approximately 1 per every 15 associates.

Most of the space in Annex 4 and the renovated space is an open plan. These areas were designed to promote opportunities for teamwork, while minimizing the distracting aspects of an open environment. Workstations are grouped by teams, with shared spaces such as conference and work rooms defining each department’s area. Ceiling panels and workstation panels were selected for their noise-reducing qualities.

Annex 4 is an addition to Wawa, Inc.’s Red Roof campus that reconciles the physical characteristics of the site with the subjective values of the company, respecting the past and looking forward to the future.