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.

Addition and Renovation in Toronto

This project - currently under construction - involves an addition and renovation to a home in Toronto's west end.  The program includes expanded living, dining, and bedroom space.  An improved relationship to the rear yard includes a future deck and generous amounts of glazing.

 

The original house from the 1920's is a typically sturdy-looking example of the era.  However, its address to the surrounding landscape was limited.  The lack of windows in the picture seems odd, but there may have been different priorities back then. 

 

The site is located along a bending street, providing the opportunity for corner window conditions to be featured.  At the 2nd floor, there are clear views down the street and beyond.  At the ground floor, some conveniently located existing shrubbery provides a suitable amount of screening.

 

With each single family residential project, every site, client and criteria differs from the last.  That is what allows a project to be tailor made, rather than the one-size-fits-all result of typical housing development.

A Rear Addition in Toronto

This project involves a rear addition and renovation of a home in an older neighbourhood in Toronto.  The program includes more living, bedroom, washroom and storage space.  

A dense program on a limited site can present challenges.  A clear open view from the living area to the rear yard, along with generous glazing for the master bedroom are seemingly simple goals, but require strategic placement of other elements: an open (but not too open) kitchen; new access to the basement; a two piece washroom on the main floor; the en-suite amenities upstairs.

Flexibility for growth is also important, as a family may change its habits over time.  It may be the grandparents staying over, or a teenager needing their own space.  A home needs specificity for its users, as well as malleability.

Addition and Renovation in Toronto

For this addition and renovation to a house in Toronto's west end, the project primarily involves an enlarged ground floor kitchen and dining area, a new deck accessing the back yard, and an enlarged master bedroom suite on the 2nd floor.  The existing house is from the early 20th century, similar in appearance to other brown brick 4-bedroom houses in the neighbourhood. 

The existing house however, does not make the most of its context.  The proposed addition creates a direct connection to the rear yard.  At the 2nd floor, proposed windows facing east and south take advantage of the corner vantage point, natural ventilation, and sunlight.  At the interior, upgrades include improved thermal performance and improved circulation, to create a contemporary setting that will extend the life of this home for years to come.