Projects

Lakeside Haven

Cross Laminated Timber

Cross Laminated Timber Home

Rothwell Heights

houseside.jpg

Sandy Hill Heritage Home

Alta Vista

Old Ottawa South

The homeowner needed this home to be more energy efficient and have a larger living space to accommodate the needs of their family. It was important for them to preserve the heritage, energy and beauty of the original house when adding new elements. They chose not to do an infill project for this reason. The homeowner understood the sustainability of an existing house. One goal of the renovation was to minimize the impact on the environment.

The  main living space was very compartmentalized. Opening up the main living space required walls to come down. White painted walls, natural wood and grey decorating tones add to the calming effect of this space. 

The addition added extra square footage and allowed the use of sunlight to enhance the living experience. Skylights and strategically placed new windows allow natural light to fill the space. A round wall on the second floor, painted gorgeous red makes a statement and symbolizes the joining of the old and new.

Great care was taken to minimize changes to the streetscape in the community. The original external structure was not modified except for replacing the front porch. All the original openings (windows and door) remain.

Cedar Lakes

Lakeshore Project

Westboro, Ottawa

Forever Home

The design mandate for this residence, located on a corner site opposite Westboro Beach, was twofold: the home was to remain sufficiently small so as to ensure extensive areas for gardening, and the home had to ensure that it would provide for all physical abilities. As such, the home’s layout and materiality incorporates a cottage sensibility; large operable doors give access to the lower garden and as well as to upper planted terraces with views to the river, all of the site’s mature trees are preserved, enormous stones gleaned during excavation are incorporated as retaining walls and terrace paving, and one stone is even made the new outdoor dining table. Rather than complicating the home’s composition with extraneous massing and materials, the volume of the house is simple and clad with natural wood siding. In keeping with the clients’ desire to enable long-term inhabitation in their new home, the master suite is placed on the main level but all three levels of the home are served by an elevator. The kitchen and bathrooms are all designed for accessibility on standards far more scrupulous than nominal barrier-free guidelines. Last, a private apartment is placed on the lowest level, which provides rental income or should the need arise, a caretaker’s residence.

Westboro Project

Winding Way

The inspiration for the design of this house was its striking site. A picturesque setting filled with mature trees overlooking the Rideau River.

Approaching the house, a linear path leads through the courtyard flanked by manicured gardens. The entrance opens into the center of the home and overlooks the light-filled sunken living spaces which are visually connected to the exterior by expansive windows facing the riverfront. A covered terrace overlooking the river is wrapped by the kitchen/living spaces and is bordered by horizontal landscape walls creating a continuous interior/exterior space.

Towards the south wing of the house, a staircase composed of steel, glass and wood climbs to the second floor and sits adjacent to soaring double height windows painting views of the surroundings.

Upstairs the connection to the river becomes more apparent as elevated views capture the site's beauty. The master bedroom, ensuite, corridor and rec. room overlook the river. A roof terrace bounded by the corridor and master bedroom connect the interior with the exterior and allow for dramatic panoramic views of the river and surrounding landscape.

Maximizing the amount of glazing in order to connect the interior and the exterior was crucial to the success of the design.

The house's exterior finishes are a dynamic composition of contrasting materiality, colouration, transparency and opaqueness. Light grey masonry, black cement board and galvalume metal siding warp the home while large black framed windows allow natural light to flood the home. The interior finishes also reflect this contrasting palette of the exterior. Glossy white cabinetry contrasts black stained wood millwork and light white oak floors contrast black tile. This vocabulary of contrasts permeates throughout the house.

The resulting home is filled with dramatic views and connections with its remarkable surrounding environment.

Greely Project

Glebe semi's

Hintonburg project

The concept of the house focuses on two key elements - a towering backyard spruce tree and the maximization of natural light. From the street a series of animated volumes encloses two floors linked vertically by an articulated "light tower." The first level is fully open with no interior walls. Facing the back garden is a wall of glass and this, as well as the use of only glass panels to enclose the steel and maple scissor staircase ascending the tower, ensures the tree is always on view.

Large and multiple windows on all sides supported by the light tower floods the house with natural light. A loft with a steel grid platform seems to float in the tower's upper space, a half storey up form the second level. The open grid allows light to penetrate down into a family room in the finished basement. Frosted glass panel doors throughout assist with the distribution of light while the maple floors are water-based stained in order to ensure a light, natural hue.

The house's exterior cladding counterpoints colour against light grey and black to articulate the volumes. Sandblasted steel panels provide richly mottled orange veneer that contrasts with softer, grey-stained white cedar and black corrugated metal siding. An orange-rusted steel screen also helps frame the house's covered entrance while at the back a shed of black stained cedar and a cedar/steel fence encloses the tree and rear yard.

Glebe Triplex

Emerald Links, Greely, Ontario, Canada

South Pointe, Manotick, Ontario, Canada

Woodstream, Greely, Ontario, Canada

South Pointe, Manotick, Ontario,  Canada

header

Kingsley Residence

footer

Home

About

Contact

Privacy Policy

Testimonials

Project Highlight Video

Floor plan preview

Is this your business? <t1>Log In</t1> to your account on Houzz Pro to reactivate your profile.

Houzz Pro Account Suspended

We will get back to you by email as soon as possible.

We have received your inquiry!

Map for {location}

Privacy Policy for this Site

This website stores cookies on your device and handles your information in accordance with the <t1>Houzz Privacy Policy</t1> and <t2>this website privacy policy</t2>. Select your preferences below. When you click “{ACCEPT_ALL}” this website can give you the best possible user experience.

This Website Uses Cookies

Your privacy is important. You can select your cookie preferences as described below. You can modify your preferences at any time.

Read more about the <t1>Houzz Privacy Policy link</t1> and <t2>this website privacy policy</t2> for more information about how these cookies are used.

This website uses cookies and similar technologies. Strictly necessary cookies are necessary for our website to function properly. If you consent to the use of other cookies, we use them to personalize your experience, serve you relevant content, and improve our products and services.

OUR WORK