Addition and Renovation - Details II

Some final details are being completed on this project, including guards, finishes, and lighting.  At the top of the stair, a steel guard has recently been installed.  A simple array of vertical pickets was drawn for their compact dimension, utility, and clarity of form.

The length of time between initial design conception and execution can vary from project to project.  Sometimes it takes years to see the results on site.  While a long timeline may be beneficial to honing the design of the end product, it can also lead to cost cutting and second guessing along the way.  But a little perseverance from the owners and design team can be ultimately rewarding.

During a conversation with the owner some months ago I mentioned that pursuing a restrained minimalist design approach can be a somewhat vulnerable endeavour.  By that I meant a carefully or subtly balanced composition can be undermined by a last minute change.  In the image below the compact exterior light fixtures and the security camera are located along the same horizontal plank.  While the lights were selected some time ago, the final selection and location of the camera was unknown until recently.  Happily, they appear to coexist in reasonable harmony.  

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Addition and Renovation - Interior Details

With this residential addition and renovation project approaching completion, various elements within the interior can be reviewed in context.  The oak steps, along with the vertical oak slats form a partial screen; this separates the dining room from the more private areas of the 2nd floor.  The assembly also creates a stair opening to the finished basement, where the kids can play within earshot.

At the kitchen, a direct relationship with the new living area was desired, with a peninsula and counter designed for casual seating.  A wall remains between the kitchen and the dining room, to shield the cooking activities.  In the picture below, a potted basil plant is growing under the skylight. I hadn't anticipated that use, but it seems well placed.

 

As the two-piece washroom is in close proximity to the new living area, some degree of subtlety was desired.  The nearly-invisible door frame pictured below helps to suppress its visual impact.  This type of detail takes more effort to build than a conventional or traditional door frame.  However, with a little resolve and attention, it is achievable.

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Addition and Renovation - Rear Facade

As this addition for a home in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood takes shape, the cladding materials of the rear facade are pictured here.  This facade predominantly faces north, but in the summer evenings it catches a few hours of sun due to its slight westerly orientation.

Thermally modified wood and concrete panels are the predominant materials used for the cladding on this facade.  The rear wood deck - mostly covered in plywood for protection during construction - is low enough to the ground that a couple of steps will be sufficient to get to the main floor from the garden.  While the facade appears straightforward in composition, a fair degree of effort was taken to keeping it simple - free of downspouts, exhaust vents, etc.  A couple of light fixtures are yet to be installed.

In my previous entry I wrote about the efforts to bring natural light into a narrow house.  Although a skylight is a fairly common device, I was pleased to see the effects it has on the kitchen, as the cabinetry installation is underway.  The sink will be positioned directly underneath the skylight.  This kitchen layout faces the new rear living area with a peninsula for casual seating / dining.  The relationship to this new living area is open, while the existing wall separating the kitchen to the dining room is maintained.

Even the skylight at the top of the stairs enlivens the hallway significantly.

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Addition and Renovation - Deep Plan, More Light

One of the perennial challenges to renovating and expanding a narrow Victorian house is the amount of light that can be brought into the building.  In older Toronto neighbourhoods the lots may be relatively deep, but the houses huddle shoulder to shoulder.  

 

For this addition, the rear facade presents the most direct opportunity to provide generous amounts of glazing.  The facade looks out onto the back yard, and has fewer constraints regarding the limits of glass allowable.  At the basement entry, a landing with an offset concrete retaining wall is created to allow more light to filter down.

 

At the junction between the old house and the new addition, a small exterior inset was created. This allows two new operable windows and a skylight to be installed.  An existing bedroom retains its window, while two new bathrooms can receive natural light (via translucent glass) as well as ventilation.  The future skylight at the bottom of the picture will be located directly over the kitchen sink.

The 2nd floor roof provides another opportunity for skylights - in this project they are located over the walk-in closet of the master bedroom and at the top landing of the stairs.  One of these will provide rooftop access for maintenance purposes only.

At the front, a transom window above the entry door is being installed.  The existing house - from 1879 - is historically designated, along with a number of other neighbouring houses from that era.  After a period of consultation with the city's Heritage Preservation Services, it was determined that a transom window could be added, as one likely existed there many years ago.  The exact character of the original transom is unknown.  However, etching the house number onto the glass seemed a suitable effort towards restoration.

 

The existing house below, prior to adding the transom window.

Other means of increasing light within a home may be employed depending on the building, context and circumstance.  In this case, the strategies used were a result of the owner's needs and desires, historically designated restrictions, limitations of the Toronto Zoning By-law, requirements of the Ontario Building Code, and of course, budget.

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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.  

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