If you are interested in the topic of sports, then the next oneAn active Washington family encourages their children’s creative and athletic play by transforming their garage into a multi-purpose pavilion-style gym. Tucked away in the back of a two-story Seattle home, a detached garage has been transformed into a family room. Instead of a TV room, the garage has become a multi-purpose pavilion that encourages the family to engage in creative play and active pursuits. “My clients now have storage space on the main level and a large multi-purpose room on the second level. It’s a unit that’s designed to be flexible and stimulating for the kids, able to change as their needs change as they grow into their teen years,” says project designer Margaret Menter. The clients wanted their three children to be able to use their imaginations in the space. They can now read books in hammocks, climb ladders, ropes, or run. The pavilion can easily be transformed from a gym to a party room or a family movie night. A small bathroom and sink make it easy to clean up after classes and parties.
This project inspired the designerto visualize the space through the eyes of active children. This also allowed her to incorporate more modern, rational and functional design elements, while leaving the largely traditional home, built in 1904. The first level of the garage-pavilion is used to contain the electric car’s docking station, while the second level has been converted into a gym. Margaret Menter retained 75% of the building’s existing walls. To create the home gym, steel beams were added to the original garage ceiling frame, running through the center of the space to support climbing ropes and a swing. To reduce the need for renovation, the architect used durable materials for the finishes, such as plywood (for the walls), parquet flooring and stainless steel (for the baseboards). Industrial steel light fittings and high-efficiency skylights were installed to reduce energy loss. The color scheme of the space is equally suitable for a children’s gym and a place where you can throw fun parties.
Large sliding doors make it easyconnect the pavilion to the outdoor area. Its proximity to the courtyard allows for parties to expand outside. The designer’s biggest challenge was getting zoning approval. “We couldn’t change the garage into a play space without adding car parking on another property, so we ended up with a multi-functional space hidden underneath the garage,” she says.
What used to be a warehouse filled withboxes and random items, has become a space that reflects the family’s current lifestyle. “My clients can always transform the pavilion into an office, music room or apartment in the future, but for now they need it as a space for leisurely pastime,” Margaret Menter sums up.
How to equip a home gym in the garage - photos and comments
