In Toronto, Dubbeldam Architecture + Design has completed a new residence distinguished by projecting and retracting volumes and the way it offers occupants a meaningful relationship with the outdoors.

Called Shift House, the 3,200-square-foot home’s façade is also highlighted by contrasting cladding. Western red cedar fills the voids left by the retracted volumes, providing a striking contrast to the predominantly charcoal gray exterior. 

The house is spread across two stories, and its layout consists of an interior grid of six staggered volumes that shift in and out to shape the exterior envelope. The resulting interplay of solids and voids across the structure’s façade allows opportunities for greater light transmission, additional views, and access to outdoor space. 

Permeability and openness were the primary design themes for the house. The transparency of the front of the home, in addition to its glazed rear elevation, blurs the boundary between interior and exterior space. The rear façade’s protruding and extending volumes provide sheltered and covered zones. The back of the house also features a wide deck, which adds to the living and dining space in warmer months.

Inside, a double-height atrium with a fully-glazed wall is located adjacent to the backyard. It offers expansive views of the surrounding environment, while inviting natural light deep into the space. The atrium includes a sculptural staircase, which stands out through a solid balustrade of white oak and Baltic birch.

"The stair’s scissor configuration forms a compelling and dynamic three-dimensional geometric composition, animated by the procession of figures as they ascend and descend between the different levels of the house," said principal Heather Dubbeldam. "We wanted the design of the stair to impart a sense of craftsmanship, while also evoking a feeling of movement and energy. This is achieved through a distinct wood grain on a diagonal, and the monolithic nature of the stair guard."

Similar to the variation of form on the house’s exterior, its interior transforms through shifts in ceiling height, materials, and colors. In the double-height space, projecting second-floor bedrooms establish recessed areas for the kitchen and living room below. A wood-clad ceiling treatment extends from the staircase to the foyer, defining the edge of one of the internal volumes. In addition, walls painted in shades of gray-blue highlight elements sitting against the white walls and oak flooring.

Shift House features a variety of sustainable systems. Strategically placed operable windows maximize passive cooling and natural ventilation, and a small pump powers a radiant in-floor heating system. Electricity demand is further reduced through photovoltaic panels on the roof, LED light fixtures, and an efficient high-velocity cooling system. Finally, green roofs and landscaping minimize rainwater run-off, while triple glazing and low-E coatings lower both heat gain and loss.