Rather than a giant slab of concrete for a driveway, I love what the owner of this garage did planting grass to grow between turf blocks. Here is more information about this garage from its owner: "This garage is designed to serve either of two masters: 1) a 4-car garage with capacity for stacking cars, via elevators, in bay 2 and 3. 2) a 4-car garage with a 700 square foot office/suite built on the 2nd floor. The floor is not epoxy. Rather, the concrete was protected with 6 mil plastic and OSB one day after it was poured. Eleven months later, the OSB an plastic were removed to reveal a virgin concrete slab. This slab was immediately sealed. The driveway is Turf Block which fully supports a truck's weight while allowing the grass to grow one inch below each block. The doors are glass panes to fill the garage with light even when the doors are closed. The upper level is supported by 6 * 21 glue lams structural engineered to support a live load upstairs. The deck over Bay 1 hosts s skylight so natural illumnation is filted throughout the bay. Bay 1 also features a butt glaze window that is mimicked in the adjoining house structure. The entire bay 1 structure is covered wtih T & G mangaris, which ages beutifully with minimal maintenance. Bay 1's Upper Level ceiling is 4 * 12 beams installed 24" on center to maximize the feeling of volume. This ceiling of Bay 2 and 4 is also mangaris. This garage is located in Brentwood, CA." Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
One trend that I am seeing in garages are large oubuildings being built or converted into garages. With the the availability, code requirements and cost of land in cities becoming increasingly challenging to build large garage additions it makes sense that owners are converting warehouses and industrial buildings in low rent industrial parks or building new garages out in the sticks where building a dream garage is more practical. Here is one such garage located in Napa Valley. Information about this particular garage from its owner: "Responding to strict floodway constraints the building is nestled between a seasonal creek and a block of vineyards. The use of contemporary materials like the subtlety reflective stainless steel and channel glass, allows the building to quietly reflect and absorb the seasonal changes of color and light. The traditional barn is transformed into a light-washed space for the display and maintenance of the prestigious car collection. Access to the car barn is along a decomposed-granite driveway discreetly meandering along the creek away from public view. The entrance to the barn is subtlety announced by automated stainless steel doors. The large eleven feet tall doors can be opened on both sides of the building framing expansive views of the surrounding vineyards giving a pastoral backdrop to the illustrious collection of cars. The channel glass glazing, running the length of the building, floats on two 62 ft. steel girder trusses allowing the floor plan to be free of columns easing the entry and egress of vehicles. The building is designed to passively maintain an interior temperature range of 60° F to 80° F. The building has a 6 concrete slab over 3ft. of compacted gravel for a large thermal mass element. The building envelope is well insulated and equipped with an automated exhaust system to remove excess heat or fumes and charge the interior of the building with cool night air in the summer months. There is an on-demand radiant water heating system in the floor slab to serve as a backup heating system." Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
If anyone would like to see pictures of projects I've worked on, a half-an-hour ago I just was notified about an article that appeared today in UNEQUALLED MAGAZINE which published a two-part interview with me talking about my vision of the future of the garage and my company. I sent them an entire folder of 80+ pictures taken from recent projects, including a tour of our plant in case anyone is interested in learning more about how metal cabinets are built: http://www.unequalledmagazine.com/art-design/25123/vault-garage-qa-2009-part-1-revolutionize-the-garage
I could see myself hanging out at this place all day. Here is more information about this garage directly from its owner: "Overlooking the Pacific Ocean from the bluffs above Santa Barbara, California, this partially subterranean garage is not just a show place for the owners classic car collection, but a working state-of-the-art restoration haven. Due to its unique design this fully heated and air-conditioned garage is nearly invisible from the estate above. Inside all modern conveniences for restoration are integral to the structure including car lift, pneumatic air systems, ventilation and an invisible roll-down curtain for the dirty bay. A Boys Clubhouse (women allowed!) is a great place to relax after a day in the shop and to have a drink or catch a ball game on the big-screen TV with surround sound." Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
More pics from the MASERATI & ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST contest. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Still more pics from the MASERATI & ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST contest. I love the open-air design. Information about this particular garage from its owner: "This garage was designed with two main objectives in mind: to create a pure and restrained minimalist environment that allows one to focus on the car as a piece of art and to create the ultimate experience for the driver to arrive at home. Iis located on the upper floor of a new addition to a 1953 ranch style home on a downsloping hillside lot overlooking the western part of los angeles. access is via a driveway bridge separate from the main entrance to the property's motor court. the 1,200 sqft foot space provides a designated spot for the car and a large open area for a couch, a slide-away tv, a built-in book shelve in front of a large storage room, as well as a small kitchen, a bathroom and a library. An area of 8' x 12' is made of sandblasted aluminum grating that is set flush into the concrete floors. it hides a 9' long steel ramp which the driver raises five inches by remote control to create a slope sufficient for the car to roll out and be started outdoors. A number of sustainable building products were used - electric screens on the exterior of the large window walls help control the climate. 47 solar panels on the roof generate more than the families' energy consumption. The upper floor is heated exclusively via radiant heating set into the concrete floors. The 25' long book shelf wall is clad with ship lapped strips of homasote, a 100% cellulose fiber board commonly used for sound insulation. Additionally, all interior and exterior walls are insulated with natural cotton fiber insulation. LED strip lights hidden in the recessed ceiling run along the entire parameter of the room and are complimented by twelve flush mounted uplights in the floor. A 24' long aluminum box spans across the large skylight and houses multiple low voltage spot lights. The gallery like environment objectifies the car during the day and dramatically projects its shapes onto both window walls at night - creating an homage to the art of automotive design." Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Pics from the MASERATI & ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST contest. The interior on this particular garage is staggeringly beautiful. I think I'll copy this design on my cabin in Wisconsin. I love it! Information about this particular garage from its owner: "Recently the garage was renovated to make it both more useful and more beautiful. The interior was completely redone in natural finished fir beadboard paneling, which matches the original wall and ceiling finish. Some of the walls were covered with custom-made fir "slat board" which is made to hold a variety of fittings, hooks and shelves. Custom cabinets line two walls, with adjustable shelving allowing the owners to keep up with the changing storage needs of a growing family. The firewood bins are lined with chrome diamond plate steel to protect the cabinets from rot and insects. Fishing rods are accomodated in one cabinet for the avid fisherman in the family. The garage doors are custom mahogany, and the floor is tiled with an exterior grade ceramic tile from Italy. The garage is heated by radiators behind brass screens in the cabinetry, and acustom built barn-style sliding door hides the boiler. The carport is paved with 16" square granite blocks. The columns were designed to match those on the porch of the house, and they hide a welded structural steel frame which will keep the carport grounded through the worst New England storms. At the back of the carport are storage sheds which were custom built of painted mahogany, with copper roofs and bronze hardware. Both the garage and carport were designed and built with careful attention to the finest materials and details, just like the vehicles they were made to shelter. Their timeless style fits fine cars of both the present and the past." Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
There is a drop-off after this and at least one of its owners, Richard Griot, has been featured already within this thread, so here is a sampling of the 'Best of the Rest': Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The "English manor" one if my favorite. There are some other cool ones The one with the hidden door look awesome from the outside, but inside the walls look very 70ish.
To answer your question, this particular home is in New Jersey and was designed by the architect James Paragano.
what a pain in the ars it would be to have that bumpy grassy driveway. not taking into consideration the horrid time the landscaper would have to mow it down what about the woman in your life trying to get in a car with heels. absurb design imho.... I'm guessing the only real reason this was done was some County regulation to maintain so much permiable ground on a small lot on the other hand that warehouse in the vineyard is just plain insane....wish I could buy my neighbors house to immulate it
Take into consideration that the picture shows a recently planted driveway. When the grass reaches maturity the concrete will remain barely visible, like show below. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Wow thanks Chad. Now I am back to redesigning my future garage. I really like the Bank Barn with the timberframe. BTW, like the magazine write up. good job bud!
W I N N E R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EXACTLY what i'd do, with the underground garage.
+1 in New Jersey shore communities this is very popular for the reason that you state, as the other alternative is to have a block of brick pavers about 18inches wide with grass growing in between/around to maintain the right amount of permiable ground. Needless to say I hear from people who have them that they are a pain, and during the summer the grass dies anyway...FWIW Great garages though! Erik
I really like the designs of many of the garages, but each has terrible flaws I just can't get around. The Garage with the Silver BBi has no railing whatsoever on the elevated ramp leading into the structure, so if your reverse-angle is 'off', you're plunging over the side of what appears to be a 12' or more drop! Another garage with the Hummer parked in the car-port - how does this vehicle maneuver OUT around the corner-post directly in front of it? A few of the other garages are on a lower level with a driveway that slopes DOWN into the garage bay - anyone ever hear of water drainage????? Some of these structures appear to be built in 'snow-country', and don't appear to offer easy disposal of the winter white-stuff away from the primary doors into/out of the garages. And what genius hangs valuable artwork in a garage that immediately loses all of its climate-control the moment the doors are opened, and a hot automobile is parked inside? The visuals are stunning, I'll admit, but from a PRACTICAL standpoint, several of these leave much to be desired.
i still disagree. still think it's for impervious surfaces. the only way your theory works is if the dirt is hard packed to the height of the little concrete tops. Then at least when the grass is mowed to height it's a somewhat even surface.. even then a ankle breaker for the woman and what a pain....It's funny what some will do to satisfy codes but if you have small spots to work with you gotta do what you gotta do.
