“A” House is an unbuilt design for a single-family house in Toronto’s Rosedale neighbourhood, with a gross floor area of 455 m². It was a direct commission, based on our previous work.
The project proceeded to building permit drawings, after which the client decided to sell the land. The site is a corner lot at the intersection of Astley Avenue and Governors Road, descending, into Moore Park Ravine on the east.
The massing and plan of the house open onto the ravine at the back, forming the letter “A”. One arm, perpendicular to Astley Avenue, is three storeys high, and the other is two storeys high. A double-height living room between the two arms opens onto the ravine through a double-height, fully glazed wall that blurs the line between interior and exterior. A second-storey bridge connects the two arms, forming the crossbar of the “A” and linking the studio and library with the master suite.
The house was to be clad in extruded aluminum profiles, cement board, zinc and clear glass. It was designed to minimize its carbon footprint, with a highly energy-efficient exterior wall assembly, triple-glazed windows, separate heating and cooling zones, and targeted use of passive heating and cooling.
- design Voytek Gorczynski Architect
- team Monika Kucharska, Anat Fort
- structural Blackwell
- cg Jan Pawlik
- gross fl. area 455 m2