Designer Garages

I think the first time I saw a Maserati on the road was when I lived in San Diego, California. I remember seeing it, then wondering what kind of car it was, and slowly creeping up on it to check it out. They sure are nice looking cars. I can see how Maserati wants to see them parked in nice-looking garages too!

Maserati, an Italian luxury brand of cars, recently partnered with Architectural Digest to host an amazing contest called Design Driven: Maserati's Search for the Finest Architectural Garages. Architectural garages, yeah right, I thought. I was mistaken: These garages are off the hook (yes, I just said that).

Before we get to the winners, let's check out some of the entries. There were two categories: existing garages and concept garages. There were over 125 entries in all, and after checking out the photo galleries of the entrants, I bet that the decision was very difficult.

In the concept category, the winner was Chris Altman, Stubbs Muldrow Herin Architects, located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Altman imagined a rough-cut limestone exterior garage that exhibits the Maserati in a museum-like display. If you ask me, this one looks like a car dealership. However, the coolest part of Altman's design is the elimination of "backing out" of the garage. The car spins around, so you can just get in the car and get right on your way.

Maserati's top choice for existing garage was Holger Schubert, Archisis, of Los Angeles, California. His existing garage was more than just a garage -- It's also his living room. Treating the garage as additional living space, the car is an added sculptural work of art, rather than just a means of transportation. However, here at ShelterPop, we kind of think it looks like a car showroom. It's certainly nnovative and conceptually fantastic for a car enthusiast, but it's just not for us.



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