Rear Addition - Shoring and Foundation

This house addition, currently under construction in Toronto includes a finished basement - a fairly conventional feature.  The addition is located on a constrained urban site that required shoring, which are walls that retain the earth during construction.  Shoring and foundations are seldom celebrated as part of the overall design, but perhaps more appreciation is warranted.

Due to the soil conditions of the site, the shoring strategy implemented here involved the use of helical piles, which somewhat resemble giant corkscrews.  Concrete lagging is applied between piles, creating a consistent sub-grade wall.  Temporary steel bracing spans from one side to the other.  Once that work is completed, then the drainage membrane can be applied, followed by the construction of the concrete foundation walls.  Most of the concrete wall surfaces will not be visible after the insulation and interior finishes are applied, but some will remain exposed at the exterior landing and steps.

 

This process involved the designs and coordination of several engineering consultants: structural, shoring and geotechnical.  Each discipline is instrumental and greatly valued, especially on a site with old buildings in close proximity.  Furthermore, soil conditions in Toronto can vary significantly from one lot to another; numerous areas of the city have been shaped and re-graded over time.  Overall, creating the additional basement space for a growing family is well worth the effort.  

End.

Mind's Eye vs. Built Work

As this addition in Toronto approaches completion, taking a few pictures of it allowed for some reflection on its built state, relative to how it was imagined during preliminary design.

The choice of cladding evolved over time, but the large glazed areas facing the back yard remained of great importance.  In that sense the design remained true to the idea of a direct connection to the new deck and garden.  

While it is satisfying to see the built results that are representative of the drawings, I think there is also an added bonus to see what one didn't entirely anticipate.  It can be something very subtle, like how a resident uses a space in a slightly different way, or how a colour appears under different light.  In this case, I was happy to see how the blinds are used to modulate daylight - from fully open for visibility, to a more enclosed and translucent effect.  

The garden will evolve over the seasons as well, with the owners adding a greater variety of planting. It takes time for new landscaping to offset the intensive construction cycle. 

End. 

House Whispering

This design exercise explores improvements to a 1920’s detached house in Hamilton, Ontario.  When assessing a building in person, one has the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the existing conditions, where a dialogue of sorts develops with the old house.  One may  ask:

 

• What are the strengths of the design of the original or existing house?

• What are the drawbacks?
• What were the missed opportunities in its original design?

• How has the house been modified over the years?

• Are there elements that are no longer desirable or acceptable today?  

• What are the unique site conditions that can be harnessed for an improved design result?

                                                                                                                                                           _

Along with the requirements of the client, a design can emerge that significantly enhances the potential of the building.  Although this house is nearly identical to several of its neighbours, it sits on a corner lot. That difference could allow for one of the parking spots as well as the side yard to be incorporated within the fenced landscape enclosure.  As the rear deck is nearing the end of its life, a new arrangement will improve circulation and access to the outdoor seating area and planter beds.

 

Given the changes in lifestyles - partly initiated by the pandemic - the role of the home expands.  Lowering the unfinished basement appears to be a good opportunity to gain useful floor area, which can include living space, a laundry room, storage, and a 2nd washroom.  As the ground floor kitchen was recently renovated, only minor adjustments are warranted.  At the 2nd floor, a compact en suite washroom is also under consideration. 

 

Curiously, two stained glass windows beside the chimney were covered from the interior by a previous owner.  The reason for that - despite the conversation with the old house – remains, for now, a mystery. 

 

 

Entry Sequence - Addition in Toronto

For this rear addition to a home in Toronto, access from the laneway will be a well-used entry point, due to the location of the parking spot.  Large glazed sliding doors on the ground floor face the rear yard and the new wood deck.  

A pair of closets are located near the entry to allow for clothes storage.  A built-in bench next to the glazed doors provides a place to remove or store one's shoes.  The fireplace is integrated into this living area, with a limestone base.  The polished concrete floor, white painted surfaces, and wood ceiling form a simple palate of robust materials.  A compact two piece washroom is also nearby - an amenity typically desired by homeowners.  

Passage from the addition to the existing Victorian house goes through the kitchen.  A counter dividing the kitchen from the rear living area can act as an informal gathering or eating space.  A skylight above the sink provides some natural light deep into the floor plan.

At the stairs facing the dining room, open treads will allow for greater visibility between the existing and new portions of the house.  Daylight from the skylight above can filter down to the ground floor and basement.  A screen of vertical wooden elements will form the guard to the stair, as well as provide visual interest.  

Of course, one can consider the sequence of movement in reverse.  Run down the stairs, have a quick glass of water, throw on a coat, and away you go.

Addition and Renovation in Toronto - Part II

The exterior is taking shape on this addition with recently added metal trim at the windows and doors, matching the colour of the window frames.  The intended effect is to visually unify the various glazed elements.  The large cement panel beside the swing door is a continuation of that effect.

The charcoal grey cement panels are the same colour as the window frames, which creates a consistent, monolithic quality to the addition.  The cantilever projection of the 2nd floor will provide some protection from the elements, as well as space for lighting within the soffit.  A wooden deck near grade level is forthcoming.

 

Viewed from the street, the addition takes on a much more modest character.  Its height is deferential to the original 1920's house, and its mass is mostly hidden by the existing landscaping.  The window sill heights are in keeping with the original house, though their expression, and that of the cladding, is contemporary.  

The rear facade is one that will be rarely seen by the homeowners or visitors.  From experience on a number of other projects, this is the facade that is typically the least scrutinized or fussed over.  Hence the initial composition during schematic design - the first attempt that feels right - is the one that is built.  So it brings a not-insignificant level of satisfaction to see it come to life, quietly.