Constructed more than a century ago as a dairy, this three-storey building was subsequently divided vertically into three townhouse-style living units. PLANT had designed a garden for one unit’s owners several years ago; more recently they selected us once again for an interior renovation. Redesigning the main stairway was key to making this extremely narrow residence feel more spacious. On the second floor, where the stairs border the living room, replacing what had been a solid wall with floor-to-ceiling transparent glass panels visually expands the room’s width by ‘adding’ the stairway volume to it. A new skylight above the stair draws light into the interior.
The combination of the clients’ extensive art collection with the home’s compact dimensions and tall, round-headed windows suggested the approach of treating the second floor as a wood-lined curio cabinet. Irregular, bubble-like pendent light fixtures add to the sense of being in a den of marvels. This renovation also included a cabinetry-lined guest bedroom/change room on the third floor and an expanded kitchen on the first.
Status: Built
Location: Toronto, ON, CA
Firm Role: Architect
Additional Credits: Photo Credits: Steven Evans Photography
