Williamson Chong Architects have designed the Blantyre house for a family in Toronto, Canada. According to architect, when his clients wanted to build a house in The Beaches, a popular Toronto neighborhood, “they were committed to the idea that they could live well in a compact square footage.” The couple found a 19-foot-wide lot with one catch: a 100-year-old Norway spruce in the backyard. Saving the tree and compressing the footprint for the three-story, 2,300-square-foot house “was our first big chess move,” says Chong. A primary decision was made to allow the ‘kitchen studio’ with its integrated dining and harvest table to occupy the entire ground floor of the home, forcing the living room to hover above the ground floor porch, and retain its status as a ‘piano nobile’ space. In contrast, the upper most level of the home is the master bedroom and ensuite. Depicted in white with minimal details, this is where the house is most private. Offering quiet and sanctuary from the urban setting, the views are choreographed to provide glimpses of the trees and sky. Using first principals of through ventilation, resilient materials for longevity, and natural finishes, help this small home engage green building in a straightforward way.
