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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Bala Line House in Ontario, Canada by Williamson Chong ArchitectsMarch 15th, 2016 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Williamson Chong Architects Within Toronto’s network of well-preserved ravines and valleys, historic rail lines are occasionally found nestled unused on steep, wooded slopes between the upper plateau of residential fabric and the river valley habitats down below. A de-commissioned rail spur – once used for an industry-focused early 20th-century city – has evolved into a common passage for hikers and neighbours as it connects the local ravine pathway system to newly developed community areas such as the weekly farmers market at the revitalized Don Valley Brickworks. Upslope, a rare accessible lot lining the western edge of the ravine, some 60 feet above the Bala Line rail path, is the site for a single-family dwelling that engages this alternative connection to the city infrastructure.  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu
 Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu This home for a family of five integrates a series of terraced spaces strung together by a 14’ flight-and-a-half stair, coinciding with the cascading topography beyond. Using a single-run stair to offset primary spaces at key landing points, the project frames views of the valley below. Ostensible ‘pressures’ of limiting-distance minimum unprotected openings, neighbouring heights, and physical grade preservation (for stable soil structure and integrity), together offered an opportunity for a monolithic stepped mass nesting atop a grounded poured-in-place concrete structure. The project erodes toward the ravine, leaving a light-filled series of upper spaces capturing any natural light and thermally-moderating effects of fresh valley air – most notably in the form of a carved front facade and a generous double-cantilever open corner at opposite ends. As a prototypical gesture to an otherwise neglected urban condition in Toronto, this house architecturally seeks to reclaim the ravine as a worthy, new public realm.  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu Sited some 60 feet above a decommissioned rail spur running along the steeply sloping Don Valley ravine in Toronto, the Bala Line House is a modestly scaled infill on a gently curving crescent lined with homes built between the 1920s and 1940s.  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu The site’s history and rich topography informed the design process. Behind the house and down-slope, the historic Bala Rail Line was once active in the early 20th century in an industry-focused city. Today, it has morphed into a well-used pedestrian thoroughfare connecting the local ravine pathway system to newly developed community attractions such as the revitalized Evergreen Brick Works and Farmer’s Market. Due to the property’s specific and privileged site condition, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) imposed strict standards for physical grade preservation to ensure stable soil structure and integrity, creating an opportunity to craft a residence that addresses and enhances its relationship to this unique site.  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu The house, designed for a family of five, at first appears to be simply a modern infill on a traditional street scape. However, subtle manipulations integrate structure with site in a meaningful way. The floor plate of the three-storey home shrinks as one progresses up successive levels, mirroring the sloping condition of the site, and producing light-filled upper spaces that capture the thermally-moderating effects of fresh valley air.  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu  Image Courtesy © Bob Gundu  Image Courtesy © Williamson Chong Architects  Image Courtesy © Williamson Chong Architects
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