Oak Park Garage Exudes Style and Sustainability
Tom Bassett-Dilley recently sent us these photos of his prototype green garage on a 30' wide lot in south Oak Park, Illinois. The garage was built with FSC-certified lumber, a salvaged concrete slab, locally produced recycled content steel siding, and salvaged cedar siding. There's also a Live Roof green roof, which was designed to channel water into rain barrels for collection.
The local zoning required a two-car garage, but Tom didn't need both spaces. So instead of enclosing the space, the garage is open with a permeable gravel patio that accommodates an extra car when necessary. Due to the small lot, the open design also takes less space from the backyard and can be used as a patio area.
Tom's experience with his own garage led him to create Green Garage Plans, which states: "We see the garage as potentially transformative to the back yard environment and experience … unlike the ubiquitous cheap vinyl garages, the Green Garage is built to last, using as many local resources as are available."
Photo credits: Tom Bassett-Dilley Architect Ltd. 2009.
