Wednesday, July 18, 2012


Garage without loft, above
Garage with loft, above

For a home on a heavily treed lot in SW Portland, we are working on a new garage with living space above. In our initial design meeting, the owners identified a loft up above the living space as a priority. But, as we started to design, we realized that the new garage might have an overwhelming impact on the existing house. The owners wanted to see what the garage would look like next to the house, just to make sure.

With a couple of photograps and some google Earth measurements, we modeled the existing house. As you can see, the two extra feet of height that the loft would require does have a negative impact on the house. The owners may even feel it necessary to bring the roof down another foot or so, to give the house the heirarchy it deserves.

This is a classic case of how Spinnaker Architect works with clients - it's a true partnership. We expect our clients to be active participants in the design process, weighing functionality, cost, and aesthetics. We use advanced tools and knowledge of codes and construction to bring an idea alive, but in the end it is your house! We want our clients to be truly satisfied with the end results.