Into a neighbourhood full of characters, activists, and 100 year old homes, this modern infill home was added. While the form is respectful of the building traditions of the surrounding homes, the house is adapted to take advantage of its unique position on the edge of a lane. Designed for a young family of environmentally responsible citizens, the house is designed for natural daylighting and passive solar heating. A open stair with PSL treads and light wood framing is located in the centre of the open plan, allowing light to penetrate through deep into the floor plates. The building envelope is 21st century technology and is super-insulated.
Replacing a stately 2 1/2 storey home partially destroyed by fire, the new house utilized material harvested from the ruin. Building substantial sweat equity, the face brick and facing stone on the old house was pulled off and mortar carefully removed by the owners. The frame of the house from the second floor down was also harvested and prepped fro reuse. The wrap around porch and screen room utilized the salvaged lumber. The brick was reused in the form of an internal stair wall that runs from the basement to the attic.
