Border Stations Become Beacons of Architecture

From the RealEstateJournal:

Border stations, those humble highway plazas that guard the nation's frontiers, are getting a serious architectural makeover.

The effort includes an ambitious campaign to elevate these structures, some of which look like run-down car-service stations, into memorable pieces of civic architecture.

"You should look forward to something that's decent rather than going through what looks like a men's room," says Edward A. Feiner, chief architect of the General Services Administration, the government's real-estate developer and landlord. "It should be something that speaks positively of what lies beyond."

From Jackman, Maine, to Del Rio, Texas, small, cutting-edge architecture firms are busy designing a sweeping overhaul in the look and operation of border crossings. Their charge: balance the needs of security and trade with the demands of creating stunning visual cues that welcome travelers into the U.S. -- all while keeping things under budget.