Location:         Cochrane, Alberta

Project Type:   Car Dealership

Completion:    2019

Owner:            Northstar Auto Group

Contractor:      Clark Builders

Size:                2 750 square metres (29 600 square feet)

Site Area:        16 408 square metres (4.05 acres)

Northstar Ford Cochrane is the first Ford dealership in Canada to be constructed using the new Ford Design Criteria Document. This document is a generational shift for the Ford brand in  the terms of dealership architecture. Key features of the design direction include showcasing Ford as a leader in new technology, alongside a welcoming customer experience. 

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A central design principle of this building is the floating curved wall which stretches over the entire front face of the building, with a height of 11 metres (36 feet). This curved wall is an ordering element for the front of the showroom, the entrance, and the service drive. The showroom itself is a double-height space, allowing sales and finance offices to have a visual connection to the sales floor. The balance of the building is composed of service bays and shop areas. 

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As part of the local architectural controls for the town of Cochrane, Northstar Ford had to incorporate western heritage design into the new futuristic building style. The owner saw this request as an opportunity to incorporate their family's history in Cochrane into the project. Local rancher brands, old wagons, wood walkways, and timber wrapper site lighting were added to the landscaping at Northstar Ford combining rich western heritage with the modern building design.