Sometimes the challenges of a project are beyond the usual. This client’s Maplewood home had an existing 50 year old garage only three feet from the house and right atop what little backyard there was. The client, an avid gardener, asked for a new structure to be built forward on the property and to create a private garden space to the rear. First the existing concrete block garage had to be demolished and the debris recycled. With barely enough space for the equipment, the dumpster, and nightly parking for the owner, the daily work was more ballet then construction. The new garage, designed by local architects AHM Architects LLC of Millburn, is an example of how graceful solutions can be achieved even with so utilitarian a structure. People walking down the street don’t realize it’s not original to the site or that it is entirely clad in environmentally sensitive “green” materials. The clapboard siding and sidewall shingles are actually reinforced cement planks with a warranted 50 year life. The trim is a treated composite material with a 30 year warranty. This all means low maintenance and a lighter effect on the environment.