New Basement Layout

A couple of years ago, I designed a basement layout for a suburban home in Etobicoke.  While the existing basement was partially finished, this family wanted a complete washroom, a useful laundry room, workshop, and a den.  As the house was originally built in the early 20th century, its overall floor area is less than recent home construction - hence its basement provides much needed living space.

In 2015, the project moved forward, requiring documents for construction and building permit.  Through that process, old plumbing conditions were remedied, walls were provided with acoustic insulation, new radiators installed, and some found structural conditions were improved.  The clients were proactive with their plumbing fixture, lighting and tile selections, and even installed the flooring themselves.

Renovating an old house can be a challenge given the existing conditions.  I can understand the temptation of other homeowners to pack up and move to a bigger house.  However, there are benefits and rewards to staying put.  Once the last of the construction trades have left there is the great satisfaction of improving ones home, modified precisely to suit ones needs.

Exterior Miscellany

For this project, the home owners wish to finish a variety of miscellaneous exterior work, including their partially built rear deck and steps.  Under conventional circumstances a typical rear deck would be a simple shape with some wood steps leading to the garden.  However, the owners have taken great care to ensure that sufficient natural light is brought down to the basement.  Existing steel beams framed at unusual angles signify an earlier attempt to reduce the size of the deck for the benefit of below, with terraces carved out for the basement unit walkout.

To follow through with this strategy, the new landing and steps have open treads allowing light through at the riser.  The new steel stringers attach to an existing beam, with steel pickets attached as guards throughout the deck, landing and steps, to maintain a consistent contemporary expression.  The alignment of the pickets allows views from the house through to the garden. 

Above the basement door a glazed flooring assembly is proposed.  While an area with a glass floor may seem like an extravagance, in this case it is consistent with their previous efforts, and increases their useable space.  A translucent frit can be applied to the glazing for traction and privacy. 

A 3rd floor balcony is also to be completed, with a cantilevered deck using a similar steel picket guard design as below.  As with many things, tying up loose ends can take a certain amount of consideration to complete.  In the case of a residential home, the solutions reflect the personal priorities of the owner, who can benefit from a tailor-made environment they will make use of for years to come.

Storage and Cubbies

One of the challenges that emerges with open concept living is the need to store one's belongings out of sight.  While removing interior partitions within a house allows a space to feel generous and airy, one does have to be mindful of where to put things.  For this renovation, at the underside of the main staircase an opportunity arose to create deep drawers and exposed cubbies.

 

The storage drawers are flush with the wall, using touch release hardware to have no visible handles.  A slight push inward releases the drawer.  In contrast, wood framed exposed cubbies above provide the opportunity to display items.  There are things that one wants to put away out of sight, and others that one wishes to keep visible.

Custom cabinetry is sometimes a feature that is designed but not built, due to cost savings initiated by the client towards the end of construction.  It can be simpler to accept a void, assuming one will either have it built in the distant future, or simply insert some kind of ready-made furniture item (ie. from IKEA).  Hence I was happy to see this piece completed.  It seems to serve its purpose - to act as a kind of sponge absorbing miscellaneous items, to allow an open space to feel gracious.

A New Face

Mostly complete by the end of 2014, this project consisted of a 3rd floor addition, an extensive interior renovation, and a revised facade.  Located in Toronto's Little Portugal / Trinity Bellwoods neighbourhood, the house is within a residential area experiencing rapid gentrification.  The design strategy employed was to pursue a restrained contemporary design language, while respecting the massing requirements of the Victorian-friendly 2013 city zoning by-law.

One of the challenges with the project was relating the new features with an existing house that had been renovated a few times over the years.  Certain conditions were desirable to keep, while others, like the arched porch, were removed.  A fairly neutral colour palate of light greys and charcoals were used to visually tie together the various existing and new elements.  While the existing pink and beige brick facade may have been an affordable choice in the 80's (during one of its renovations), its colour was modified accordingly. 

On the 3rd floor, a preference was expressed to have most of the glazing and views facing toward the back of the house.  Hence the street facade of the 3rd floor features a solitary skylight on the corrugated and sloped metal roof.  While proximity to the city park across the street is an amenity, extensive exposure was not desired.

Pictured below is an image of the house prior to its recent renovation.

The modification and partial removal of the existing front porch also allowed direct access to the basement from the exterior, which gives the project greater flexibility in terms of use.  The landscaping in front of the house was also reconsidered.  While tall metal gates and 100% hard paving may have been desirable to its residents a generation ago, the inclusion of planting and landscaping softens the approach with minimal cost.  Removing the fences also expresses a different relationship with the neighbours.

The initial design renderings showed the porch roof being kept, though that was changed.  Also, the client's idea of a bright red front door emerged later in the process, and it is something that brings contrast and visual interest to the facade.  One of the interesting aspects of designing a building is seeing it become real, and then comparing it with the image in the mind's eye.  Is a project a success if it looks exactly as one imagined it?  I would say: Partly.  The unexpected, or unanticipated ways it reacts with its users and its environment is perhaps as equally satisfying.  

A Form in 3 Variations

In early 2014 the opportunity arose to design a dwelling in the Grey Highlands, Ontario.  Located on a rural site, the project contains a metal roof, wood siding, cement panels, and a space near the centre that can open to the elements.  Its general form is a long pitched roof, nestled into a rolling site.  On the south side, a portion of the roof is sloped to allow clerestory glazing.  On the north side, the grade slopes down to create a two storey facade.

As the dwelling is nearing completion, it can be placed in context with other projects from my office in recent years.  There are similarities in expression from one structure to the other, though key differences as well.

In 2010 I was asked to design a small cabin overlooking the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick near Saint John.  This was meant to be a summer getaway, compact in size with a simple pitched roof and able to be completely shuttered in winter, given the windy conditions near the shore.  A symmetrical layout was the outcome, with the breezeway in the centre dividing the bedroom area from the kitchen and washroom.  Large sliding glazed doors, coupled with exterior wood sliding doors, gave the project the ability to modulate the breezeway based on the prevailing climate.

One of the advantages of the site, beyond its hilly and dramatic view over the ocean, is its proximity to the centre of Saint John.  Within a 20 minute drive one can be away from it all, something anyone living in a congested big city can only dream of.  Currently, the project remains unbuilt. 

In 2001, I began to design a summer cabin on Christian Island in Georgian Bay.  This project contains a transluscent roof in the breezeway, with sliding glazed doors and 12' wide pull down insect screens.  Its layout was not symmetrical, as a 2nd bedroom is located behind the kitchen and bath area. The decks were different lengths, responding to the solar orientation.

While the subtle changes in design language reflect the evolution of a type of building, I think it is also important to note that each project was geared to the direct needs of the client and the conditions of the site.  Every client has a distinct idea of how it will be used.  Also, every site presents its unique challenges that hopefully, one can turn into a positive.

Every so often I get a call from someone far away inquiring about this type of project.  They usually are the do-it-yourself kind, not really wanting to hire me but just wanting to pick my brain.  While they may very well be handy, the special nature of these projects is partly based on my ability to respond to the context at hand.