Attic House

A growing young family was looking to expand their attic for more bedroom space and storage. Of primary importance to them was the retention of the ubiquitous mid-town Toronto bungalow style of the original house but with a thoughtful modern intervention.

The existing attic space was previously accessed by a very steep wood staircase which could only accommodate the oldest child’s play area due to inadequate ceiling clearance. Existing dormer and expanses of roof were removed and carefully replaced with a larger asymmetrical roofline in opposing direction to the original main gable of the house. Two equal and opposing forces are in tandem through the length of the home, subtly expressed through two opposing windows, one extending outward to the street on the main level and the other, a large trapezoidal window recessed into the house on the third floor creating a dynamic view out to the neighbourhood.

A new open wood tread central stair with steel and wood railings connects all levels where natural light filters through a large skylight above. The enlarged kitchen was reconfigured to allow for a central built-in dining banquette with improved views and connection to the backyard.

The addition is primarily expressed as a single mass rising upward and wrapped in black standing seam cladding. A similar tonal palette is applied to the rest of the house with new darker stucco and shou sugi ban wood detailing contributing to a sophisticated and harmonised exterior - at once respecting the original while presenting a contemporary solution to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Construction: Sierra Corporation

Photography: Scott Norsworthy

Mural: @jimmychiale

Featured: The Globe and Mail