A James Bond-Inspired Subterranean Garage That’s Fit For a 007 Superfan

by Kenneth Lee

Touted as Daniel Craig’s swansong in the titular role of 007, No Time to Die was set to be one of 2020’s biggest releases. Until the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and it got pushed back. Multiple times – the current airdate’s been set for October 8 this year. That’s how long you’ll have to wait to catch a glimpse of Craig in the now-legendary Aston Martin DB5 (unless you’re the trailer rewatching sort), a grand tourer that first appeared, along with the very character of Bond, in 1964’s Goldfinger. Naturally, any fan of the Bond series or the British marque worth their salt would want to get their hands on a DB5. And then they’d need a place to house it in. Automobiles worth this much can’t be housed in any old garage, which is probably the line of thinking that’s led to this underground lair – garage, sorry – in Warsaw.

The project, handled by London-Warsaw based design studio Unism in collaboration with engineering house Arup, is being built to store a private collection of eight heritage Aston Martins under several feet of concrete and a verdant grassy knoll. It’s a project that’s meant for sophistication and privacy – think sleek textured walls curving into the showroom along an angular winding access ramp, rather than tripwires or pressure-triggered death lasers.

A three-metre-wide skylight provides the space with just enough natural lighting, a deliberate design choice that further accentuates the dramatic, cave-like feel they’re going for in the garage (though it admittedly leaves the base unprotected against, say, foes rappelling from a helicopter).

The vintage cars make ingress through a ramp that’s been carefully calibrated to meet the parameters of various makes of Aston Martins throughout the years, be it turning radius, ride height or wheel width, all while complying with public building regulations. Perfect for quick getaways, as well as the beginnings of leisurely jaunts in the Eastern European countryside.

There’s currently space for ten in the garage – eight have been filled (the Aston Martin DB5, naturally, is one of them, along with a Vantage and DB2 Drophead) with two extra in the wings to be filled, perhaps, by the next Bond’s vehicle of choice. The showroom also features a turning platform for quick parking, and a pop-up cinema for the owner to catch a Bond film while lounging in an Aston Martin. Very meta.

For more on Unism or Arup.

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