Shift House, North York, Ontario property, Residential Building Project, Canadian Architecture Images
Shift House in North York, Ontario
4 May 2024
Architects: Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Location: North York, Ontario, Canada
photo © Shai Gil
Photos: Shai Gil, Riley Snelling
Shift House, Canada
In Toronto’s postwar neighbourhoods, modest bungalows are being replaced by faux-historical mansions. Standing in bold contrast is Shift House by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design.
photo © Riley Snelling
An unapologetically modern insertion, Shift House features a stepped façade defined by projecting and retracting volumes, highlighted by contrasting cladding to emphasize the volumetric gestures. Western red cedar fills the void left by retracted volumes, providing a striking foil to the charcoal gray exterior. Meanwhile, the gently sloping roof extends from front to back, maintaining a low datum line on the street as it forms a comparatively horizontal expression.
photos © Shai Gil
Shift House’s 300-square-meters are spread over two storeys and, through strategic spatial arrangements, respond to the family’s desire for a meaningful connection with the outdoors. The layout of the house consists of an interior grid of six staggered volumes, shifted in and out to shape the exterior envelope.
photo © Shai Gil
The resulting sculpted façade, with its interplay of solids and voids, creates opportunities for greater light transmission, additional views, and access to outdoor space at multiple levels through corner windows, generous roof overhangs, green roofs, and balconies on the second floor.
photo © Shai Gil
Permeability and openness are dominant design themes throughout the house. The porosity of the front façade is a friendly gesture to the street, and a glazed rear elevation connects the family to the surrounding environment, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior space. The rear facade’s protruding and extending volumes form sheltered and covered zones, delineating outdoor areas with differing character.
photo © Shai Gil
A wide deck across the back of the house effectively doubles the living/dining area in temperate months, becoming a generous outdoor room for dining, reading, and relaxation. On the interior adjacent to the backyard, a double-height atrium with a fully-glazed wall provides an expansive view of the neighbourhood’s mature trees, inviting natural light deep into the interior and magnifying the grandeur of this – in truth – modest space. Central to the atrium is a sculptural staircase defined by a solid balustrade of white oak and Baltic birch.
photo © Shai Gil
“The stair’s scissor configuration forms a compelling and dynamic three-dimensional geometric composition in the space, animated by the procession of figures as they ascend and descend between the different levels of the house,” explains principal Heather Dubbeldam. “We wanted the design of the stair to impart a sense of craftsmanship, while also evoking a feeling of movement and energy. This is achieved through a distinct wood grain on a diagonal, and the monolithic nature of the stair guard.”
photo © Riley Snelling
Overlap and the blurring of boundaries continue throughout. Just as the exterior’s varied planes hint at internal programmatic changes, the volumetric shifts within the house are further expressed by changes in ceiling height, material, and colour at the thresholds, producing a heightened awareness of these intentional shifts.
photos © Riley Snelling
In the double height space, projecting second storey bedrooms create recessed areas for the kitchen and living room below, while a wood-clad ceiling treatment extends from the staircase to the foyer, defining the edge of one of the internal volumes. Walls painted in shades of grey-blue serve as further defining elements against the white walls and oak flooring.
photo © Shai Gil
The house employs many sustainable systems. Strategically placed operable windows maximize passive cooling and natural ventilation, while a small pump powers the radiant in-floor heating system. Photovoltaic panels on the roof provide an additional source of electricity, while LED light fixtures and an efficient high-velocity cooling system reduce electricity demand. Green roofs and robust landscaping minimize rainwater run-off, and triple glazing and low-E coatings reduce both heat gain and loss. Visually impactful, Shift House is also environmentally responsible.
photo © Shai Gil
House CAROLINE in North York, Canada – Building Information
Architects: Dubbeldam Architecture + Design – https://dubbeldam.ca/
Location: North York, Ontario
Size: 3,200 s.ft. | 300 s.m.
Architecture / Interior Design / Landscape Design: Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Project Team: Heather Dubbeldam, Marisa Maggs, Oliver Dang
Contractor: DDF Contracting Ltd.
Consultants: Blackwell Structural Engineers
Photography: Shai Gil, Riley Snelling
About Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design is a multi-disciplinary design studio committed to creating thoughtful projects that embody sustainable approaches. With a diverse portfolio incorporating a wide variety of project types, their work ranges from homes, multi-unit residential projects, workspaces, hospitality, and mixed-use buildings, to landscape design and architectural installations.
photo © Shai Gil
Along with over 90 design awards and wide recognition in national and international publications, Dubbeldam is the recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome and the 2024 Architectural Practice Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, two of the highest honours for architectural practices in Canada. With a commitment to design excellence and a focus on sustainability and wellness in architecture, Dubbeldam is recognized for creating innovative, unique, and environmentally responsible design solutions for live, work, and play.
photo © Riley Snelling
Photographer: Shai Gil, Riley Snelling
Shift House, North York, Ontario property property images / information received 040624
Location: Ontario, Canada
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