Innovative uses for garage doors

The Black Box NSW by Tina Tziallas Architecture Studio

Although the garage door is almost always used in conjunction with a garage, occasionally they can be used in other architectural arrangements.

Australian Designers have been looking at ways in which they can limit the feel of interior and exterior environments. Traditionally a bi-fold door or a sliding door may have been used, but more commonly these designers have found the garage door to be superior due to the unprecedented use of space they offer.

Below, ABi have looked at some examples where the traditional window or door has been replaced with a garage door.

Palm Beach House, NSW by Don Taylor Design Associates

Palm Beach House NSW by Don Taylor Design Associates
Palm Beach offers some of world best view and families who have houses there often want to maximise internal and external living, taking advantage of the weather. This particular house designed by Don Taylor Design Associates uses a vertical folding window system to open up the house to the elements.

The Black Box, NSW by Tina Tziallas Architecture Studio

The Black Box NSW by Tina Tziallas Architecture Studio
Instead of having usual windows, the black box design appears to have no openings until the three roller doors tilt up and provide large amounts of natural light into the office of a software company. The doors are all electronically operated and can be operated quickly.

Metal Shutter Houses, New York by Shigeru Ban

Metal Shutter Houses New York by Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban re-designed the large aircraft hangar garage doors and used these as environmentally sound window walls for this apartment tower in the busy streets of New York. The doors provide superb sound reduction qualities and are perfect for loud city environments where noise is often a problem.

Under Armor shop front, Baltimore by A+I architects

Under Armor shop Baltimore by A+I architects
This Under Armour shop features a hydraulic garage door as its shop front door. The large 8.5m by 4.2m door is made from black-painted steel and glass. It features an electric motor and hydraulic pistons.

These are just some of the examples where garage doors are used in a range of different applications. Do you happen to know of any other applications where a garage door has been used when it isn’t connected to a garage?