In Arizona, debartolo architects have completed a job that they came to through cycling. Skoop, a premium small-batch ice cream store, is the brainchild of Kale and Shata Keltz—the owner operators of Bicycle Haus, a cycling store and architectural landmark in sunbleached Scottsdale. Skoop is a 1500-square-foot "scoop shop," beside Bicycle Haus that serves ice cream through a walk-up window. It's a small-scale project that demonstrates sustainability through material efficiency, passive design strategies and a floorplan that can evolve as required over time. 

Footprint and floorplan
The building has been constructed in the footprint of a parking area, and spans just 12 x 84 feet and is split over two floors with a bridge that connects it to the neighbouring building. The compact space houses a kitchen and sanitary areas along with the shopfront and window for serving.

Materials
Jack DeBartolo, lead architect, tells archello that they selected a palette of "honest, durable and low-maintenance" materials to ensure the longevity of the building. Among them, exposed concrete breeze blocks and weathered steel, capable of withstanding high usage and extreme weather thus reducing the need for replacement and repair across time. 

Finishes

Finishes were kept limited and utilitarian, DeBartolo continues: "Architectural expression emerged through careful editing—using fewer materials with greater intentionality and minimising unnecessary layers, finishes and applied ornament." It is an approach that helped reduce material consumption while also creating a distinct visual identity for the business.

Environmental strategy

The building has been designed to support daylighting and spatial openness, reducing the necessity of artificial lighting while the sun is up and ice creams are being sold, and creating a business visually connected to its surroundings. In addition to this, efficient lighting systems support operational energy performance while maintaining indoor comfort—crucial in Arizona's hot climate. 

Future-proof footprint

The footprint of the building was designed for long-term adaptability. "Retail environments often face rapid obsolescence," DeBartolo continues. "Skoop was conceived as a flexible framework capable of evolving over time without requiring major reconstruction." Such adaptability is increasingly crucial as consumer desires shift and change. "Ultimately," DeBartolo tells Archello, "the environmental ambition of Skoop was rooted in a belief that the most sustainable architecture is architecture people continue to value."