01. The Opera House

Creating a Multi-Purpose Infill House for Music

2022 Academic Work

Toronto, Canada

INTRODUCTION

Located on a tiny lot in the noisy Toronto neighbourhood of Kensington Market, Opera House is a home for two musicians. The residential portion of the home floats above the street while a small, public concert hall in the basement anchors the home. Kensington Market is a polyphonic landscape; a landscape that has many voices which overlap and, in many ways, compete with one another. The design of Opera House is based off of an analytical study of its en - vironment. A detailed collection of notes and noise measurements were taken as I walked through the neighbourhood. Adjacent to a laneway and a major road, Opera House is at the pinnacle of noise. Its undulating facade helps to deflect noise while also acting as a privacy screen. Furthermore, sliding panels on the interior can open to allow noise in to the house when desired. The interior wooden panels soundproof the home from the inside.

NEXT: Reimagined landscape of Kensington using sound as topography

FURTHER: Sections along Dundas Street West and Wales Avenue + Field Notes

PROGRAM: Opera House is situated on a 3m x 11m lot and is comprised of private and public spaces. The top three floors are residential while the basement is an ampitheatre open to the public. The main floor can be used for music lessons or as a sitting room. Connecting the two spaces is a hollow tube which transmits sound throughout the home.