Game Day
By Topiarius
The clients wanted us to design/build an outdoor space that would accommodate watching the full football season outdoors. With space as a premium, integrating the fire feature into the south wall with the TV made the most sense because it allowed for the most useable space (i.e., more people).
There are challenges when building an outdoor space on a garage in Chicago. But adding a fire feature as a major part of the design meant we were faced with adhering to city codes for noncombustible materials and figuring out how to route enough gas for a full flame in the fireplace.
The south wall was integrated into the aluminum pergola and made with galvanized steel framing, cement board cladding, tiled with blue cement tile (and Epoxy grout), and Schluter edging. The countertop is granite. The two decorative panels on each side adds to the overall aesthetic and additionally provides privacy.
