Project Summary
Replacing a crumbling garage on a quiet Toronto laneway, this compact residence makes the most of a tight and challenging site that included an awkwardly placed utility pole, a 1.5 metre drop from the backyard to the street, and two beautiful trees. In addition, the owner wanted an as-of-right (and budget-friendly) build that would fit within the allowable zoning by-law, while also creating a memorable structure tailored to their needs.
The resulting building—a two-storey structure incorporating both a studio-apartment and garage—embraces these demanding conditions and criteria, using them as the starting point for its highly articulate but pragmatic design that celebrates the particularities of laneway living.
Key Facts
Location
East Riverdale, Toronto
Program
Studio apartment w/ separately accessed parking garage
Type
Laneway House, New Build
Size
410 ft² / 38 m², 2 storeys
Systems
High performance, all-electric
Contractor
Mike Peck
Consultants
Contact Engineering (Structural)
Off Grid Design (Mechanical)
The challenging site demanded a form that responded to its environment, pushing and pulling to make the most of every inch.
Numerous models were done to better understand spatial challenges and opportunities.
We called it the Little Blue House for a reason. The two-tone scheme was inspired by the owner’s art collection, including numerous pieces done by his father.
Corrugated steel, wood siding and stainless steel were chosen to celebrate the material-palette of Toronto’s laneways.
Special attention was paid to create welcoming entrances, both in the backyard and the laneway. Stainless steel canopies provide shelter from the rain and snow, while strategically placed lights are there to help you find your keys. A highly permeable landscape dotted with native plant species allows water to quickly drain away, avoiding puddles and ice.
Compact living doesn’t have to feel cramped. Taking advantage of the site’s slope, we were able to add additional height in key spaces, including 11’ ceilings over the main living space and a dramatic double-storey over the entrance staircase.
Playful volumes create opportunities for skylights, clerestories and strategically placed windows, resulting in an airy and bright interior.
Multifunctional spaces are the key to small living.
Here, the stair landing has been deepened to do double-duty as an elevated vestibule, with a built-in bench to put on your shoes and plenty of storage space for all those coats, hats and scarves.
As long-time renters, durability and practicality were always top-of-mind. Despite the compact footprint, the residence includes a full-sized bathroom and galley kitchen, both finished with budget-friendly, long-lasting finishes and plenty of storage space which can be customized by future tenants.
Whenever possible, lighting fixtures with replaceable bulbs were selected to ease future maintenance.
Budget-consciousness and an interesting design did not come at the expense of sustainability.
At every step decisions were made to reduce the building’s overall energy use, prioritize the use of local materials and lower the project’s embodied carbon.
For example, we specified 24” framing vs. the usual 16” to reduce thermal bridging by 30%, avoided the use of steel, and installed an all electric heat-pump system for heating and cooling. Even the roof features a white-roof membrane to reduce urban-heat island effect.
View construction photos here.
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