Modern Garage in Far East

[abstamaria]

Thank you all. It has been a complete surprise to me that many on the forum liked a minimalist design. It was with some hesitation that I began to post here. Over the weekend, I plan to put some order back in the old workshop and take one of the cars for a spin.

 

[abstamaria]

To all who pass and post here...The internet is a wonderfully enriching place. Within this thread I feel I have traveled a worldly epic journey from my home in the rural farmland of Illinois..to the islands of the phillipeans...and adjoining spots around the globe.....hearing great life stories along this thread.

Rkfdspeed, I cannot agree more. This forum has allowed me to peek into garages and projects in Greece, Italy, the cities and farmlands of America (so varied in itself!), England, and so many places all around the world. The people and their cars and vehicles cannot be more varied too; I find it so interesting to see what they are doing or planning. I find myself saying "that's a good idea," or "that would be fun to do," or "yes, that is a problem - how are you going to solve that?", or "what a great job" over and over. While they may not agree on many politics, religion, cars even, and a whole lot of other subjects, there is a strong common thread, it seems to me, that runs through the folks who participate in GJ. That is what makes what they post on this thread so interesting and relevant to me.

Thank you, Internet and GJ, for making this possible.

My best,

Andres

 

[Small_words]

Andres, fantastic house and garage. I love the minimalist style and intend to remodel the house/yard/detached garage in a minimalist style.

I would like to know more about the truss that you're using to hold the halogen lights. Did you have it specially fabricated or is it a structural member that you hijacked to a different purpose?

 

[flyingvette]

Sudden urge to spill dirty oil.....


Must resist.....


PS: The lighting is excellent!

 

[wfochris]

Very Impressive!! How about a some pics of your toolbox contents? Lets see what you're using to maintain that fine machinery.

Let me be sure to have the phone in hand and dial "91" before you do... I'll probably die if I see what's in those boxes!

Your garage is: unreal.

I logged on today to re-read a post about a harbor freight impact wrench. And found this. Just-wow.

 

[mkdive]

Very Impressive!! How about a some pics of your toolbox contents? Lets see what you're using to maintain that fine machinery.

 

[oberst]

Your home reminds me of the Nike World Campus in Oregon. Very beautiful. You have excellent taste and I'm happy that you have the means to surround yourself with such beautiful things.

Thanks for taking the time to share these images.

Mike

 

[51rider]

Andres, fantastic house and garage. I love the minimalist style and intend to remodel the house/yard/detached garage in a minimalist style.

I would like to know more about the truss that you're using to hold the halogen lights. Did you have it specially fabricated or is it a structural member that you hijacked to a different purpose?

+1 on both comments.

That lighting truss looks a bit like a 'scaled down for domesetic use' lighting rig, similar to that which you would find in theatres or at music venues.
At first glance it seems very industrial and the geometric design at odds with the rest of the property. Subsequent viewings it just looks right in your setting-a very clever piece of interior design.

I bet it's a devil to keep clean though.......

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you. I'm happy you like the design. The cars were mostly acquired some time ago, far before the boom in prices. The tool cabinets were also bought over many years and just brought over when we moved to the new place. But, yes, I am quite fortunate to have them and the space.

The truss lighting system was mostly from my old garage too, first installed there I think in the early 90s. The large trusses are from the line called "Structura" by an Italian company called Targetti. These are made up by hollow, thin steel tubes for the main frame and quite light. The smaller system, made of aluminum, seen over the white car is called "Structurella," by the same company. Here the frame carries the 12V current to the lamps. Both systems were discontinued a long time ago, but the distributor found NOS sections in his warehouses to supplement what we imported from the old house.

They do look like the truss systems used by studios and seem easy enough to make.

My tools are nothing extraordinary, just the usual wrenches and the odd specialty tool, like a bump-steer gauge. I will take some pictures over the weekend. I do use the cabinets to store supplies.

If you can implement it, I think you will find that a simple, uncluttered, minimalist theme is quite calming.

Andres

 

[J-R0d]

Very Very nice. I have thouroughly enjoyed looking over this thread. I love garage journal as it allows you to have a view into the creativity of folks that otherwise you'd never see. I love the minimalist theme to the garage, but I am afraid I am far too much of a packrat to ever be able to pull that off. But, I really do like the look and feel of everything I've seen in here.

 

[JohnFreeman]

Great garage space!

I find it incredible to imagine someone so disciplined to maintain such a space (I'm a magnet for clutter!) but I love it.

Thanks from N. Carolina USA for posting it.

John

 

[On Edge]

Bealutifully done. I love the minimal look. I really have learned some good things about organization from your posts. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Sigman]

Jim, in an effort to simplify, I've been using a Leica DLux4, which you might know is a small fixed-lens camera. It is identical to my wife's Lumix, but has the red Leica dot and makes me feel superior from a phptographic viewpoint. ...

As a (part-time) professional photographer, it a tad disappointing to see two literally identical cameras except for the price and moniker and then choosing the highly expensive one just because it's a Leica... this shouldn't make one feel more superior photographically but more superior from another aspect... sorry, just a pet peeve of mine as I have friends/family in the Manila area who the same...

Aside from the little pet peeve... love the cars and garage(s)! I'm so torn making my garage a pretty showroom style or a real working garage...

I would love to see more photos!!

Cheers!

 

[aqr81]

Andres, I dropped by again for a pick me up. I always feel better after visiting this thread. It just keeps getting better!

Larry

 

[Dennis Cavallino]

This is a great thread Andres, thank you for that. I really had to register here to see all of your pictures.

I love minimalism in my house, which isn't built minimalistic at all. My garage was supposed to be minimalistic too, but it's just a one-car garage and all my car stuff has to be placed in there (at the moment there is even no place for my car). It's great to see your place. I love the architecture, the cars and your approach which has result in a great place for a car&art nut like me. If you ever wan't to change places... haha. Keep up the good work.

 

[abstamaria]

I know, Sigman. I wrote “superior” tongue-in-cheek and only in relation to my wife, who has the Lumix version of the Leica. Let me explain. My wife photographed professionally (she was the sole photographer for a book commissioned by a Spanish tobacco company on their centuries-old Philippine plantations), but generally shoots for herself, probably like you. She studied at the International Center for Photography in NY and for 20 odd years was the only female member of what I think is the premiere camera club here. She now has an on-going, sold-out photo exhibit. I am afraid she outclasses me in this endeavor, and the only meager defense I have now is that Leica seal on my identical camera. The irony is that the Leica is a gift from her.

She bought the Lumix LX3 some time ago and has been producing excellent, large format prints with it. I had been borrowing the Lumix and really enjoyed the size, light weight, and capability. I wanted a similar camera, almost settling for the Canon G11, but was told the Lumix was superior. I didn’t want exactly the same camera as hers and so was in a fix. Then the Leica arrived with that very nice tan leather case, so my problem was solved.

It has been satisfying to work within the limited options of the Leica. I feel I have simplified my life and made do with less, but of course the Leica dot (and accompanying price tag) flies in the face of that! But I argued so would two Lumix LX3s in one house! And the Leica is still cheaper than a good SLR.

Sigman, if space is available for a separate work area, that would be best and you can have both your showroom and a proper workshop. If not, you will have to plan and organize more carefully.

I am glad you like the garage. I note you have a “pagoda-roof” Mercedes. I am a great fan (I want a dark blue SL with matching interior and a ZF 5-speed), but have never been able to buy one.

 

[Justanoldguy]

As a (part-time) professional photographer, it a tad disappointing to see two literally identical cameras except for the price and moniker and then choosing the highly expensive one just because it's a Leica... this shouldn't make one feel more superior photographically but more superior from another aspect...

Sort of like jumping to conclusions without all the facts ...

 

[abstamaria]

Sort of like jumping to conclusions without all the facts ...

I know where Sigman is coming from, though. The Leica is exactly the same as the Lumix, so the reaction is understandable.

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, J-ROd, John, On Edge, Larry, Dennis, Justanoldguy.

The renovation left many things to be sorted and put away, but I am almost done. I will try to take pictures this weekend and post.

My best,

Andres

 

[Woogeroo]

A very beautiful home, you should be proud of it... I love the library!

The garage is pretty awesome as well.

Thanks for sharing the images and stories with us.

-W

 

[abstamaria]

Green Roof

It is amusing to read GJ for the contrast. In many garages, the challenge is insulating against winter. In the tropics, the problem is the sun. The concrete-slab roof we've had soaks in heat in the summer, so we decided to install a "green" roof, using a relatively light soil substitute and planting a low creeper. The vendor of the system claims it should reduce heat; in a hot day, i suppose I can just turn on the sprinkler system to cool the building down.

The parapets of the garage are high, so the planting on the roof will not be visible from the driveway. We can see the roof from the house, however, so the green should be easier on the eyes and a bonus. The first step is to lay the waterproof sheet on the roof. (I could have just put in a pool there).

The grass pavers on the driveway is visible in this photo. Grass grows quickly this time of the year.

I'm glad you like the house, Woogeroo,

 

[993James993]

Hey Andres,

That shot is beautiful. I actually thought you had a pool above the garage when I first saw it.

The grass pavers look great. Seeing them in your photo makes me want to visit a nearby house that was being remodeled a couple of years ago and see how the grass pavers used there look after time.

I've been following the discussion in this thread about minimalism with great interest. I love that style but have never been able to achieve and maintain it for very long. Currently I am building a new detached garage and I have a mental vision of how the interior will look once I've finish. In this vision it will be clean, bright and minimal. In my mind it will look much like your garage. I've decided that not to have open shelving and to prohibit storage of household junk or yard tools inside.

But even with this planning it occurs to me that I am not likely to achieve the look I desire because the objects I have do not match each other. These include a 5' industrial gray bench with sliding doors, complete with scratches, scuffs, and other paint defects, as well as a brown masonite top; and two slightly mismatched 8' blue work tables, both in rough condition and in need of new tops. I've considered painting the bench blue, or maybe the tables grey, but then I still have a brown rolling tool cabinet and top box. Even after I clean this stuff up and replace the tops so they all match, it is just not going to achieve the serene, ordered minimalist condition that I would like.

I guess my point is that achieving a minimalist space like you have takes considerable planning and requires very hard decisions about what to keep and what to cull. Just thinking about how you must have arrived at your current set up makes me appreciate it even more.

 

[abstamaria]

This easy Sunday old Japanese friend Osamu visited and was enlisted to bring some shape back to our neglected bonsai - dwarf trees that are an art form in Japan. Osamu has an artistic eye and a delicate touch with the shears, but he is also a very competent, very fast racing driver. We had been racing together as part of the 15-year-old vintage racing team Team Transit Gloria.

That's Osamu in his very neat 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta at a hillclimb here. The other picture of Osamu in the Alfa might be interesting to some of our Amercican freinds; it was taken at the now-closed circuit at Subic Base, formerly a major U.S. naval facility, very important during the Vietnam War.

Jim, I've been thinking about your build and felt you could really pull off a visually simple workshop that will fit in with the arts-and-crafts style. Let me consolidate my thoughts and I will try to write these down.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

What to keep.

I spent the last several weekends sorting and organizing the pile of things unearthed in the course of the move to the new working area. I decided to sell or give away a number of redundant spares, such as steering racks, etc., and this Lotus double-overhead-cam cylinder head. I acquired it (originally installed in the first Lotus Elan imported here) as part of a spares swap in about 1980 - 30 years ago! I know I will never use it, so it will have to go. Here it is as it goes in the classifieds section of the local sports car club's Facebook page.

Incidentally, I photographed the head on the epoxy floor of the old workshop, installed over 8 years ago. Never protected from rolling floor jacks, stands, engine cranes, etc., the floor is scratched and has yellowed but stood up very well.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

By the way, that's me in the red-orange TR4A, racing with Osamu at the Subic Raceway.

 

[abstamaria]

The value of a plain wall

One advantage of a simple, austere setting seems to be that it enhances the single object placed in it. I tried to find a picture to illustrate this and found only this, not of the garage unfortunately, but a bedroom. The plain, painted walls and simple floor draw attention to the chest of drawers, which has nothing on it to distract the viewer. Consequently, one focuses on the color of the wood, the grain, and the workmanship. And the chest then looks really beautiful, or so I think.

The same happens to a car in a simple garage. Its lines and color stand out, and one is drawn to the details. As a bonus, working on it is more relaxing too, and finding the dropped washer a breeze.

There is a link between the chest and cars. A German friend who decided in the early 60s to live here was restoring a 1950 MG TD and had to learn to work with wood, because the TD's body frame is wood. He found he had a gift working with wood, left his job as as professor of economics, and began his own furniture company, making cabinets, chairs, and tables of his design. He became very successful.

The chest of drawers shown here he made for me over 25 years ago. It got dark with age and sun, but 9 years ago I sanded it down carefully, with an orbital sander mostly, and the glow returned. It is made of narra - Philippine mahogany.

I apologize for the digression and promise I will get back to garages and toolboxes shortly.

Andres

 

[Dennis Cavallino]

Is that moist on the left side above the chest of drawers?

The simple architecture and design makes a statement. In Japan it's called "Shibui or Shibosa" (I hope to translate it well by saying it means: the most refined form of aesthetics). It's hard to do the same to a small space, when you have too much stuff. To get rid of all your stuff means that you'll have to challenge a mental make-over.

When I take our house for example, it was renovated (a bit like) the Shibui-way. But after a year, too much stuff came into the house. Still love it though, because I don't want to live in a magazine, which doesn't feel like a home. In your house everything seems to be perfect, with thanks to the space, your approach and dedication. Keep the information and photo's comming!

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Dennis. No, those are just shadows and the color of the cabinet reflected on the walls.

I have the advantage of more space, but still it is difficult to maintain the aesthetic and philosophy. The house just looks good in some pictures.

Your house is very interesting, and the garage promises to look wonderful too. Keep posting pictures please.

Andres

 

[Dustoff]

Andres,

Thank you for taking the time to share your garage and house with all of us...stunning execution of your style. While not my personal taste I can still admire the excellence of your home and garage....it looks like it is from a different world!

Shaun

 

[dawg]

The wife and I just had our retirement home built on the island of Samar in the PI.
Ill have to dig up some pics of my garage there.
btw nice dog!
just dont let the dog outta your sight!
we used to eat dog when drinking there and didnt even know it?

 

[Midget74SC]

Mr. Andres,

Very Awesome home and garage. But most, I love your cars . I was born and grew up in Manila. (Singalong, Malate District). Used to watch the Car races at Luneta Grand Stand and at Ortigas when I was growing up. Long time ago.

Mr. Dawg,

Yes, You are exactly correct, You can not tell what kind of meat it is unless somebody tells you. But its good with San Miguel Beer . .


WILLIE

 

[selohssa]

That is VERY impressive. Truly inspirational. Thank you for posting your garage.

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, all. I am happy you like the house and garage.

On a side note, I find that the eating of dogs here is probably limited to a few provinces, some in the South and up North in the Mountain Provinces. I believe there is a law that prohibits it, and it is not prevalent, in my experience. I know of no one who has actually eaten dog, but then my family has always had dogs, so perhaps that defines my circle of friends.

In the cities and most provinces, dogs are part of the family or the village, and one sees them mixing freely on their own with the crowd, going about their business. It is a popular notion that the eating of dogs is prevalent in indigenous tribes (the Philippines is made up of many cultures). That is not true. I was particularly struck by a news report in 1989, when Mount Pinatubo erupted unexpectedly and in disastrous fashion. The Aetas, an indigenous people that lived around Mt. Pinatubo, were displaced, brought to refugee shelters, and eventually allowed to return to their lands. The report said that high on the list of things that the Aetas requested were dogs, many of which they lost during the eruption and said they missed badly. They hunt with dogs and find companionship with them, the report said. And no, they don't eat them.

But, thanks, I will keep an eye on my dog. The greater threat might be a natural one. We live in one of the few areas in Metro Manila that has trees and parks, one of which is a small reserve. We purposely didn't tend to areas of our propery to provide some relief and shelter to the creatures our homes have displaced. That has rewarded us with rare chirping frogs that are on the endangered list and sometimes fireflies - what a treat in the city. But two weeks ago a large snake - as thick as a man's thigh - was seen grabbing a cat. The other day my wife said not to let the Rottie out because the snake was spotted in the back garden by a neighbor. Also, yesterday, a small monitor lizard scampered out of a stack of spare racing tires we were moving to back to my workshop. We have bigger ones - about 3 or 4 feet long - that visit. They are quite shy though.

Back to garages, now.

Andres

 

[Curt_pnw]

I just read through this whole thread and enjoyed the read. I really like the minimalist design. I bet it is really calming to be in a place with no clutter. I also like your grass pavers, we will be using those for the driveway to the garage we are building now.
Your Stratos is my favorite car in your collection, I saw one on a trip I took to Monaco a few years ago. Aggressive yet beautiful cars in my opinion. I hope you keep this thread updated with your progress on the garage and house, or whatever you feel like sharing.

 

[abstamaria]

Driveways

The garage in our old home was cement. Over decades, it cracked a bit, stained, and "acquired character." On the driveway of this photo taken 10 years ago is my Lotus Elan's chassis, of which I am quite proud as I assembled it myself. The frame is a special one from Tony Thompson Racing in England. BTW, note the aluminum roll-up doors just shown in this photo.

The driveway in the house we moved to was cement too, but we covered it with crushed gravel. Gravel was neat and easy to keep clean (just hose it down or wait for the rain). The cars made a crunching sound on it, which was pleasant. It was hard to walk on though, specially for the dogs, and if you were unfortunate enough to drop a small part on the gravel, well, you probably never will find it.

I took this picture of the Dino on the gravel during a shoot for a Shell calendar. I forget what effect the photographer wanted with that fabric.

During this year's renovation, after 8 or so years with the gravel, we removed it and tore up the poured cement underneath - a huge job.

Our contractor laid a bed of sand, compacted it, and then installed cast cement turf pavers; they cost about US$1.00 per square foot, so you can compare costs where you live. Instead of Bermuda grass, commonly used here, we planted a broad-leafed, hardy local variety called "carabao" (meaning buffalo) grass. This requires less watering and will tolerate shade. After a few weeks, it has taken quite well. The driveway feels cooler and more welcoming now than with cement or gravel. We are allowing ivy to grow on the wall along the driveway.

Finally, here is what the polycarbonate doors (which divide the work area from the parking garage) look like when closed. The polycarbonate still allows a view through it but I hope will diffuse images enough to hide the mess that usually happens when a repair is ongoing.

My best,

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Thank you, Curt_pnw. I am glad you found the thread interesting. The uniform comment that guests tell us when they visit the house is that it is very calming. While in part that may be due to the plain colors -white and a grey floor - the absence of "things" I think is the principal reason.

I liike the new grass pavers. They make it feel as if the car were on a lawn. I am told they reduce water run-off too and are good environmentally. A bonus is that they are easy to remove and replace if one ever has to lay a pipe underneath, for instance.

The Stratos is special, and it is still quite a treat and a thrill to take it out.

Regards,

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Dawg, it's good you are retiring in Samar. I gather you visit frequently? I hope you will enjoy your place there. It is as you know in the Southern Islands, a bit more relaxed and I think a great deal more pleasant than Manila. Samar has a lot to offer. Do find your pictures; they would be quite interesting to me.

 

[abstamaria]

After the sports car club breakfast meeting today, I took some pictures of the cabinets to show what are inside, as requested. I resisted the temptation to sort and arrange the contents for the photographs, so you can see if the system actually works. Nevertheless, the drawers are generally organized and neat, I think.

There is nothing extraordinary inside, just the basic wrenches, sockets, and so forth. The kind of work I did was restoration on small British sports cars with fiberglass bodies, race preparation, and now mostly light repair and maintenance. No welding or heavy fabrication. The collection of tools reflects that limited work.

Andres

 

[abstamaria]

Instead of selling my old Proto cabinets (the two tall ones in an earlier picture), I used them for supplies - fasteners, wiring, plumbing, sealants, and so on. That has kept the look of cabinets similar and given the shop a cleaner, less-cluttered look than if I had used a different type of cabinet for non-tool items.

 

[abstamaria]

Re: Tool cabinets

I use the cabinets under the Moduline bench for shop manuals and, on the other side, shop lubricants, brake fluid, and, in the drawers, files, saws, extension cords, chargers, etc.

The Snap-On roll cabinet is my 2nd oldest cabinet and is now about 20 years old. Rather than sell it, I mounted a drill press on it and keep drill bits, reamers, etc., and power tools in the drawers.