The original garage was dilapidated and falling down. By code, if the clients demolished it, they needed to re-build another. We designed and built this steel and glass structure as a full functioning 2 car garage, knowing full well that they would end up using it for other purposes. After all, who in Los Angeles puts their cars in a garage anymore?!
When the construction was completed, the homeowners were so excited that they immediately began filling the garage with tables, chairs, a flatscreen TV, couch, full set of weights, etc. But when the inspector arrived and saw the garage set up as a man cave/rec room, he insisted that the clients remove everything in it before he would pass the project as a garage. He said that he wanted to actually be able to drive his car into the structure.
So, out everything came. Tables, chairs, TV, couch, weights, etc. When the inspector returned, he gladly passed the project, leaving the clients to put everything back into the man cave.
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The owners opted for modern steel and glass construction to be their new space of utility and recreation. The south facing wall is a garage roll up door, as a nod to the code; the concrete block wall on the property line doubles as the west facing wall, while the rest of the walls are high performance sliding glass doors that open the entire space to the backyard. The space now hosts a home gym, mini bar, and second living room.
We always had a vision of what our home could be. It was made real through the collaborative process we engaged in with Dale and his crew from Archisys. Part of the process included the nexus of ideal and real – the beauty of form and practicality of function. Now we are living in a space that reflects our dream and inspires our lifestyle.
Related: video of the old garage demolition