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.
Situated in the heart of the city and overlooking Lake Ontario, the new Delta Toronto Hotel is a contemporary and convenient hub for out-of-town guests – not to mention, a new city landmark. Its 46-story glass tower adds a sleek accent to the Toronto skyline. To complement the hotel’s tower, Page + Steele/IBI Group Architects specified Banker Wire mesh for the hotel’s adjoining rooftop parking garage stairway enclosure.
Tags: Canada, Ontario Comments Off on Woven Metal Mesh Proves Ideal Material for Rooftop Stairway Enclosure at New Delta Toronto Hotel in Ontario, Canada by Page + Steele/IBI Group Architects
Originally built in 1939, the Hambly House is one of only a handful of Art Moderne houses to be found in Ontario. The original building, built for Jack Hambly, is a striking example of streamlined late Art Deco in Hamilton; the flat-roofed building sports an archetypal curved corner with speed-striped stucco walls, nautical-inspired detailing including a porthole window, and a prominent front door surround.
This new private residence In Hamilton, ON communicates that a new and sustainable form can be invented while highlighting and celebrating the neighbourhood’s historical legacy. The house celebrates and reminds us of the social importance of the front porch. Its material palette is chose to be deliberately commensurate with established patterns. The form of the carport and absence of an enclosed garage increases the likelihood of spontaneous contact between neighbours in the few seconds between car and front door. The house is respectful to the context from within as well.
Article source: Kleinfeldt Mychajlowycz Architects Inc.
The BMX Supercross Legacy Project is difficult to categorize. It is a structure within a park that accommodates the park’s storage needs, two permanent Start Ramps for BMX Supercross events, one at 10 meters and the other at 5 meters high, a permanent, concrete and steel screened structure and a 517 meter, ephemeral dirt track. It is a board formed retaining wall of over 27 meters length and ranging in height from 0.5 to 6 meters high. It is an object in a landscape and a landscape in its own right.
Situated in a quiet Etobicoke residential neighbourhood, Thorncrest House stands out as a contemporary gem within its surroundings. The dwelling’s distinctive blue zinc cladding and Spanish cedar accents create a unique street presence alongside the suburban beige villas.
The Abilities Centre was created with the objective to be a global centre of excellence for practical knowledge and insight into providing recreation, athletic and performing arts facilities for people with varying degrees of abilities and challenges.
Set atop a hilly site in an established North Toronto neighborhood and surrounded by traditional homes, the project is the result of a mixed brief from a professional couple keen on building a family home.
The design and construction of this cottage located in Monument Channel Georgian Bay was completed in 2014.
The cottage is 2,125 sq.ft. and is designed for year round use. The primary building material is Douglas Fir, which was used as the exposed structural frame, ceiling decking, interior wall finishes, interior cabinetry and kitchen island, etc. The design celebrates the simple use of a post and beam structural frame, where the rhythm of the columns, beams and purlins gives an overall organizational logic to the scheme. The wood is either solid sawn or milled to a profile, the timbers are sometimes massive and other times just efficient in their size, all the timbers were prefabricated, drilled for connections, etc. in the factory. The wood is left untreated and natural on the interior and finished with a clear, penetrating oil sealer on the exterior. The exterior cladding is either structural wood or cedar shingles, Ipe is also used as the exterior decking material and for the guardrail top rail/handrail.
The Mid-Town Triplex is an example of urban intensification in an established Toronto neighborhood, providing the Clients with both a principle residence and high value income suites that add to the quality and variety of rental options in the city. The triplex comprises a basement 1-bedroom unit, a ground floor two-bedroom unit, and a 2300sf, two-storey, 3-bedroom unit for the homeowners. The existing two-storey, brick structure is one of many similar houses in the neighborhood, with a pitched roof and raised front porch with steps. Sensitivity to surrounding context is a key consideration in the design – existing brick is reused and restored while articulating the additions and incisions in the façade with clean, rectangular volumes. This juxtaposition clearly highlights new from old while maintaining the cadence of the streetscape. At the ground level, a canopy integrates the separate entries to each unit, creating a singular address for the house. The Clients believe that the good design and quality finishes specified by the architect resulted in higher value – confirmed upon the quick rental of the rental suites above market appraisal.
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