Shingle all the way: in the skin of a dragon

Function and folly commingle in a “dragon-scaled” garage and workshop by PLANT

Using ordinary materials in surprising ways is something we at PLANT Architect Inc. have always enjoyed doing, and often the projects we design for ourselves generate innovative approaches to our work for clients. Our latest in-house experiment makes striking use of an off-the-shelf product: cedar shingles, with standard shapes combined to create an unexpected pattern.
When their old laneway garage was nearing the end of its life, PLANT founding partners Lisa Rapoport and Chris Pommer decided to replace it with a new, larger structure that, in addition to sheltering their car and bikes, would provide more workshop space for art projects. Through the deft deployment of texture and colour – and one well-placed curve – they were able to achieve the maximum zoning-permitted volume on a garage that animates, but in no way dominates, their compact backyard in urban Toronto. With shingles and a grass-green pine tar waterproofing finish, they created a garage/​workshop with a “gnarly old dragon” texture that has the whimsical singularity of a Victorian folly.
We invite you to see more images of The Dragon on PLANT‘s website and to download the media kit here. For high-resolution images of this project, please email our communications manager, Pamela Young, at pamela@branchplant.com.