Volvo Cars Canada and the Interior Design Show Toronto have announced the shortlist of finalists for The New Garage Design Challenge, a sustainable design challenge to imagine the future of garage spaces.
According to Volvo, a recent study showed 40 per cent of Canadians have the desire to create more livable spaces in their homes. The New Garage Design Challenge aims to empower conceptual thinkers and design thought leaders, and ultimately inspire all Canadians to re-think the garage-and-vehicle relationship into one that embodies innovative, beautifully designed and sustainable elements.
Submissions for the challenge were accepted from across Canada from October 29th – December 31st, 2020. A panel of Canadian architects and designers judged the challenge, including Kim Pariseau and Justine Dumas (APPAREIL architecture), Jonathan Sabine and Jessica Nakanishi (MSDS Studio), Javier Campos (Campos Studio), and from Sweden, Volvo Cars’ Head of Design, Robin Page.
“We were all agreeably impressed with the diversity in design thinking across the entries,” said Robin Page, Head of Design, Volvo Cars. “The interpretations were clean and modern, Scandianvian-inspired, but also imaginative in the ways they re-framed the space to embrace nature and address more liveable functions.”
According to Volvo Cars, while designs were received from entrants of varying backgrounds, levels of experience and regions across Canada, they showed common design themes.
“Sustainability impact was at the forefront, with energy-efficient solutions that were meticulously considered from the materials to the footprint, all while embracing the natural environment. Scandinavian design was demonstrated in the garage form and materials, showcasing elegant and minimal aesthetic. The designs were clean and modern, with many placing a strong emphasis on light and textures. Functionality was reimagined as the designs expressed new multi-purpose ways to use every inch of the space more thoughtfully and effectively, considering activities that contribute to wellness. Connection was considered as a unique evolution, transforming the garage into an innovative space that was mindful of sharing quality moments with family and community.”
The shortlisted finalists were determined by the following key criteria:
- The Concept: How original, innovative, and creative is the vision?
- The Design: How sustainable and future-proof is the design?
- The Inspiration: How well does the concept and design complement the key features of the Volvo XC40 Recharge
Here are the Shortlisted Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Jerry Liu and Jesse Basran: Design Partners, BLA Design Group from Vancouver, BC
Jerry and Jesse’s New Garage design ‘Modul’ is a prefabricated, modular building that revitalizes suburban laneways. It creates a compact, multi-functional space for vehicle parking, storage, home office, and other stay-at-home activities, while encouraging lane activation and interactions between neighbours.
Keillor MacLeod: Industrial Designer, Keillor MacLeod from Toronto, ON
Keillor’s New Garage design is inspired by the Swedish movement of Naturhus to create living spaces surrounded by plants. The garage becomes a greenhouse, encased in insulated glass, to create a self-contained ecological system.
Tiam Maeiyat: R&D Creative Designer, PNH Solutions from Montreal, QC
Tiam’s New Garage design ‘Parking-Parc’ upcycles the garage space into a new form of the family room. Linking inside and outside together with light and transparency, the design creates possibilities for quality family time, regardless of time or season.
Shirley Shen, Travis Hanks, John Roddick, Jorge Roman, Ana Cadena: Haeccity Studio Architecture from Vancouver, BC
Haecity Studio Architecture’s New Garage design, ‘Mainspring’, turns the garage space into a car-sharing opportunity for the whole community. By creating a communal garage, all other existing garages in the neighbourhood have the opportunity to be transformed into new spaces that invest in mentally and physically recharging activities.
Sean Solowski: Architect from Toronto, ON
Sean’s New Garage design, ‘Restore’, is a pavilion that embraces technology and honours the natural environment. It’s a reinterpretation of the traditional garage as a space that recharges both motor and mind in equal measure.
The winning submission will be announced in March 2021 and the winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize and promotion in 2021 in House & Home and Maison et Demeure. The winning New Garage vision will be showcased at the 2021 Toronto IDS.