Zen Garage
Saint Paul, MN
Residential
In 2020, Michael’s son Asher was suddenly home from his freshman year of college facing a summer of pandemic isolation. This presented a great opportunity to develop a project that allowed him to develop new skills, experience the satisfaction of building something with his own two hands, fill his time and earn some money—while the Roehrs would benefit from a badly needed new garage.
Together, Michael and Asher developed a design to address the desired requirements: a multifunctional structure that would be as much garden shed as garage, an attractive backdrop for the garden, and an outdoor lounge area allowing them to socially distance with their friends and neighbors through the course of what was still an undetermined period of social isolation.
Asher enlisted his buddy Owen, and with no building experience, a little guidance, and a lot of encouragement (what could go wrong?!) they spent most of the summer figuring out how to raise this new building, and went on to (mostly) complete an adjacent fence and patio area before sending him back to school in the fall with a great sense of accomplishment and a little cash in his pocket.
The structure provides an attractive and contrasting backdrop for the garden. The offset roofline maximizes exposure to afternoon daylight and directs rainwater to where it’s most useful. A barn door in the sidewall of the building–fashioned with material salvaged from the old garage–allows it to function as a garden shed and staging area for social gatherings. The asymmetrical overhang defines a welcoming path into the yard, while the flatlock metal panel siding ties it solidly into the aesthetic of the existing house.
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PROJECT PHOTOS BY Scott Gilbertson Photography