The Axis Garage has been an integral part of downtown Salt Lake City for years, serving as much needed parking support for the Axis Building and its neighbors. The life of a parking structure is a hard one, though, and its seen wear and tear through its constant use over time. At the onset of this project, our client intended to throw some paint on the walls in a very traditional way. We turned their idea of the power of paint on its head, proposing a clever, targeted paint makeover. By using a thoughtful design process we were able to help the client save on costs while packing a larger punch in the final transformation.

Throughout our years as a studio, we’ve grown to hold a strong appreciation for the aesthetics of functional buildings. Although it may seem that beauty is the least important element of parking garage design, we know that neglecting beauty in a space like this can lead to decreased use, care, and eventual abandonment. To support the garage’s ability to meet the parking needs of the neighborhood, the paint scheme needed to make the space more beautiful and enhance its functionality.

We also wanted to tie the garage to the visual language used through the newly designed Axis Lobby, basement and exterior facade of the Axis Building. This helped us to identify our color scheme and style guide. We chose to adhere to highlighting the natural materials of the garage, like the stunning light brick, concrete, and vines growing on the facade, while using a bright red that matched the statement red face of the Axis Building to highlight elements and bring in pops of color.

We transformed the street view by painting door frames, light fixtures, and the eye-catching central staircase, all in our bright red. Between the natural tone of the brick walls, the bold red staircase cutting diagonally across the face of the building, and the vines that have grown across the sides over the years, each piece strikes a balance between intentional and happy accident, leaving us with a structure that looks like it was built to look this way.