These two parking lots are significantlyare different from each other, although they are located in the same region and were designed by the same architect. Carefully considering the styles and appearance of both houses, the specialists from Design Northwest Architects completed projects that organically fit into the landscape. The first two-car garage was built next to a mansion located in a historically important place, not far from a busy road. The second is next to a funk-style building built in the 1970s. We suggest learning more about how you can unite houses, buildings and plots with the help of thoughtful designs down to the smallest detail.
This beachfront villa is located on the islandCamano, Washington. Built in 1920, it's a fisherman's home. "It's one of the oldest houses, and it's very visible from the main road," says principal architect Dan Nelson. So it was important to keep the new build in the existing maritime style.
The location was difficult.The homeowners wanted to keep natural light in the kitchen (the corner of the building you see in the photo is the kitchen window). The design team also had to figure out how to squeeze the box into the narrow space between the back of the house and the yard. The team came up with a two-chamber car room, a section of which is pushed back into the lot. The garage bay, closer to the road, is larger in area, and behind it is a workshop.
In this house renovation project diagram, you can see how the garage is connected to the mansion and other buildings.
From the street you can see an area of the plastered wall –It’s a visually pleasing transition area between the courtyard and the garage. “The gazebo creates a special atmosphere in the courtyard,” says Dan Nelson. It also connects the two parts of the building by allowing light to enter through the openings.
The designers looked for features in the details of the house andtransferred them to the project of the new building. For example, in the previous photo you can see that the gazebo supports are identical to those on the house and in the window squares. The sun's rays, seeping through the awning's bells, play on the mansion's pediment.
The entryway echoes the front porch, with the variegated alabaster repeated on the chimney. A new paved walkway merges with the existing one and leads to Skagit Bay.
The lights and carriages near the garage doors sendto the historical era and maintain the architectural style. On the other side of the island is a mansion that looks significantly different from the previous one. The main developer had previously been told about this unique building, but working on the project was the first reason to look at it. Situated on a high hill among trees, this house by the water is literally hidden from prying eyes. In 1970, a successful dentist designed and built this modern cabin with an original facade with the help of a designer. It took him years to complete the project. He lived here for decades until he decided to sell the property to a married couple. “As you know, sometimes it rains here,” Dan Nelson says with a laugh. The new owners wanted an awning and paths from it to the house so they could stay dry in bad weather.
To place the canopy, the architect studied the entirelandscape around the house, looked at the topography to figure out which area would have more space for a car. This is the area on the right side, where what Dan Nelson called "a small classical Greek temple in its purest form" was built. "It's a very simple building, so the new roof had to be laconic and rational," says the specialist. The architects took a constructivist approach, exposing the structures of the tree. They had to make terraces depending on the slope of the site. The rock on the right is a support for the structure. This structure can also be used as a pavilion for parties, games, meals: you don't have to worry about the safety of the table and the dishes on it.
In this photo you can see that the approach to the roadvery steep and wooded. The house is not visible from the opposite side. For all those arriving, the view of the new building is a very dramatic surprise.
It was decided to divide the roof into twoparts. The canopy is made of acrylic greenhouse panels and protects the homeowners from the rain as they walk from the house to the car. Light flows through them calmly onto the path. The dentist, when arranging the area around the hut, chose the aesthetics of Asian tranquility. This theme was supported by the paved paths around the hut.
The garage was installed at an angle so as not tomake it difficult to support the beams. The interesting intersection of wooden beams ensures the canopy will last for many years. The trusses and beams are made of cedar to match the similar siding on the walls of the house. The corrugated metal of the roof is repeated on the canopy over the parking lot.
Details such as galvanized gutterspipes and trim elements highlight the originality of the exterior of this unusual forest cabin. Materials courtesy of Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects.
2 original design projects of an individual garage
