Volvo Cars Canada and the Interior Design Show Toronto have announced Montreal-based Tiam Maeiyat as the winner of The New Garage, a sustainable design challenge.
‘Parking-Parc’ by Tiam Maeiyat 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. Inspiration and integration of the fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge was interpreted through freedom and flexibility.
“I believe that freedom in form results in freedom in the way we live in the space,” said Tiam Maeiyat, R&D Creative Designer. “This freedom brings more opportunity, more attachments and more sense of belonging.”
Environmental considerations were at the core of Maeiyat’s garage design, in particular, through a green roof intended to provide a rainwater buffer, purify the air, reduce the ambient temperature, regulate the indoor temperature and save energy. To utilize daylight effectively, the design used a semitransparent, photovoltaic glass façade and flexible solar panels.
“Tiam envisioned a garage space that seamlessly connects the indoors with the outdoors,” said Robin Page, Head of Design, Volvo Cars. “The design beautifully exemplifies the function, modern Scandinavian aesthetics and sustainable elements seen within the Volvo XC40 Recharge.”
As the winner of The New Garage Design Challenge, Maeiyat will receive a $2,500 cash prize; promotion in House & Home and Maison et Demeure; and his design vision for the New Garage will be showcased at the 2021 Toronto IDS.
RUNNER UP
‘Mainspring’ by Shirley Shen, Travis Hanks, John Roddick, Jorge Roman, Ana Cadena of Haeccity Studio Architecture in Vancouver, BC, turns the garage space into a car-sharing opportunity for the whole community. Using an impressive systems-based approach to rethinking the garage, the judges admired how the design created a conversation around the future of mobility and community, especially in urban areas.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
‘Nature House’ by Keillor MacLeod, an Industrial Designer from Toronto, ON, is inspired by the Swedish movement of Naturhus—a greenhouse encased in insulated glass to create a self-contained ecological system. The judges were drawn to the classic Scandinavian design and idea of creating a multipurpose space for the home that is connected to nature
‘Restore’ by Sean Solowski, an Architect from Toronto, ON, is a pavilion that embraces technology and honours the natural environment, recharging both motor and mind in equal measure. A beautiful form that speaks to modern and clean Scandinavian design, the judges appreciated the level of refinement given to the design.
‘Modul’ by Jerry Liu and Jesse Basran, Design Partners BLA Design Group from Vancouver, BC, is a prefabricated, modular building that revitalizes suburban laneways while encouraging interactions between neighbours. A smart systems-based idea inspired by the density in cities, the judges respected the thought given to addressing issues of space, and how the design also looked at the garage from a manufacturing perspective.
