Construction Is Underway…

This unique new-build residence finds itself neatly slotted between two adjacent low rise buildings on a generous lot in North York. The home seeks to harmonize with its surroundings as it addresses the street; this is achieved by the ground floor being set further forward, aligning with the neighbouring houses, and the second storey being set further back. Overall, the illusion is that its overall scale is smaller and thus more in-keeping with the general low-rise street scape.

The scheme itself can be broken down into a simplistic diagram with more utilitarian services lining the south west edge, with living spaces breaking off to the north and east. Circulation cuts between both vertically and horizontally. The building draws upon a simple box form, with simple extrusions and roof planes pulled out and around the exterior to form both shelter for those on approach, as well shade to key spaces from the summer sun path.

The building’s facade looks to define the activities of the interior spaces, with punched openings identifying more private spaces, and larger expanses of glass suggesting more public, open living areas. Also, the buildings massing offers practicality with overhangs at the 2nd floor creating niches’ for protection from the elements at ground level, and upper floors being pulled back to create exterior spaces and greater privacy.

Floor planes have been shifted and opened up above the ground floor plate, allowing natural light to pour in from above, thus avoiding a dark inner core to the building. As an extension of this, larger openings have been located to rooms that are deeper, allowing light to pour further into the buildings envelope.