1905 Toronto Beach house revival
Taking a traditional home that had fallen into disrepair, Toronto, Ont.-based development company baukultur/ca has completed the transformation of a 110-year-old house into a contemporary, highly sustainable home.
And, even though strictly modern, its exterior complements the traditional Beaches neighbourhood in this lakefront area of Toronto.
Felix Leicher, architect and owner of baukultur/ca, relocated to Canada in 2014 from Munich, Germany, bringing with him ideas about sustainable design. He did not want to tear down the house, despite the neglect it received from its previous hoarder-owner. “It had good bones so I wanted to build up, not out, to preserve the back yard for buyers,” says Leicher.
The 2,880 sq. ft. renovation project was completed from May to November, 2016, and has now been sold to a couple in their late fifties.
“We see our project also as an opportunity to showcase the possibilities of sustainable modern residential design to the neighbourhood and the city,” he adds. Unfortunately, the property was so poorly maintained that materials such as flooring could not be saved and repurposed.
The open concept home uses passive sustainable design, according to Leicher. These design elements include passive cooling, compact building volume, natural light, an efficient building envelope with white reflective siding and roofing, in combination with smart technologies to not only minimize energy consumption and maintenance over the building’s lifespan, but also to optimize indoor air quality.
The interior develops on the main floor as one open space composed out of singular areas of living, to create the effect of continuous space where each function has its own place without being separated or detached from the rest of the house or the exterior.
The main floor flows seamlessly from the tiled front entry into the living room and through the dining room-kitchen area into the family room in the back of the house, without detracting from the specific function of each area. Towards the rear of the building, the borders between interior and exterior living space blur into each other, the inside extending onto the vast exterior deck and west-facing garden.
The choice of interior finishes is bright and clean with black accents such as tile patterns and window frames that contrast the predominant white colour scheme. White walls and ceilings, white washed solid oak floors and white trim, with the occasional quotation of the materials used on the exterior: thermally treated wood and copper and black detailing, enrich the clean modern look and connect the interior to the exterior. A bonus in the master bathroom is in-floor heating.
The new owners bought the property in April 2017 after a couple viewings, thinking at first that the home’s four levels might be too much house. Their daughter has moved in since, according to Leicher. “They are pretty sporty and like to cycle, so the muscle aches from climbing stairs were quickly behind them. They are very happy with the place.”