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Ivan Hunter

bob gundu

urban houses 11 News

National September 11 Memorial Museum & Pavilion at New York’s World Trade Center opens; Phyllis Lambert receives Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

31 Books

Three new publications focus on Modernist, aquatic and respon sive architectures.

33 Calendar

Arctic Adaptations: Nunavut at 15 launches at the Venice Architec ture Biennale; CityAge—The West ern Cities Summit in Edmonton.

34 backpage

16 East Van House Splyce Design crafts a contextually appropriate but refreshingly asymmetric structure in a modest East Vancouver neighbourhood. TEXT Courtney Healey

The completion of the West Toronto Railpath extension prom ises to stitch together the discon nected neighbourhoods com prising the west end of the city.

22 Bala Line House Williamson Chong Architects design a sculpturally intriguing home for a family of five that responds to the intricacies of its steeply sloping ravine site in Toronto. TEXT Leslie Jen

27 Gen-Y house

Doublespace Photography

A 650-square-foot pied-à-terre by N45 Architecture Inc. is unusually sited on a suburban lot in Ottawa, abutting a 1920s cottage. TEXT Sarah Brown

COVER The Bala Line House in Toronto by Williamson Chong Architects. Photograph by Bob Gundu.

v.59 n.06 The National Review of Design and Practice/The Journal of Record of Architecture Canada | RAIC

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June 2014

Perkins+Will

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Viewpoint

Editor Elsa Lam, MRAIC Associate Editor Leslie Jen, MRAIC Editorial Advisor Ian Chodikoff, OAA, FRAIC Contributing Editors Annmarie Adams, MRAIC Douglas MacLeod, ncarb, MRAIC

Above Perkins+Will’s design for a residential district in downtown Saska toon includes a park bridging over a working rail corridor.

The fundamental service that architects provide is to add value to places. The question of how that value is measured—and how it can be monetized—was at the core of several presentations at this year’s Banff Session, a conference run by the Alberta Association of Architects. Jared Della Valle, an architect-turned-developer based in New York City, inspired a good deal of after-talk buzz. Della Valle founded Alloy Developments nine years ago, after realizing that as an architect, he was involved in creating much of the value in commercial projects but reaping little of the reward. “I was sick of being made to feel ‘lucky’ to get work as an architect,” he recalls. The 17 employees in his firm are all trained as architects, although each has another skill set—from financing to construction. They’ve taken a one-project-at-a-time approach, carefully vetting hundreds of sites to find the ones that require an inventive architectural solution. “We find the worst sites, because they’re the ones that developers overlook, while we can see the potential,” he explains. The firm’s first project was a residential condominium on an unusually shallow lot at 459 West 18th Street. In another savvy move, Alloy snapped up three parcels in the Hudson Yards before the large-scale redevelopment of the area was launched (they eventually sold the site). Alloy was also one of the first to go through approvals for a development adjacent to the Manhattan High Line. These calculated risks paid off with revenue of $90 million in less than a decade—dividends that now allow Della Valle to act philanthropically, donating program space to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in his current project within Brooklyn Bridge Park. In Canadian cities, architects are also adding value to overlooked sites. That premise is central to Vancouver House, a project presented at the conference by Kai Uwe Bergmann of the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). BIG is currently designing the project with DIALOG. Vancouver House utilizes a triangular parcel of land at the foot of the Granville Island Bridge. In order to maximize use of the residual plot with its numerous setback restrictions, BIG and DIALOG proposed twisting, widening and cantilevering the

Regional Correspondents Halifax Christine Macy, OAA Regina Bernard Flaman, SAA Montreal David Theodore Calgary Graham Livesey, MRAIC Winnipeg Lisa Landrum, MAA, AIA, MRAIC Vancouver Adele Weder Publisher Tom Arkell 416-510-6806

building as it rises. This unconventional stratAccount Manager Faria Ahmed 416-510-6808 egy will cost about 20% more in construction— Circulation Manager it’s economically advantageous that the developBeata Olechnowicz 416-442-5600 ext. 3543 er, Westbank, owns two concrete subcontracCustomer Service Malkit Chana 416-442-5600 ext. 3539 tors—but in return will result in approximately Production 50% more units than with a conventional tower. Jessica Jubb Graphic Design Although space may appear to be limitless Sue Williamson in the Canadian Prairies, its booming cities are Vice President of Canadian Publishing Alex Papanou also looking to remediate and redevelop innerPresident of Business Information Group city urban sites. Joyce Drohan of Perkins+Will’s Bruce Creighton Vancouver office presented her firm’s plan for Head Office 80 Valleybrook Drive, the North Downtown district of Saskatoon, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 a 240-acre brownfield site bisected by a working Telephone 416-510-6845 Facsimile 416-510-5140 railway corridor. To create a continuous mixedE-mail editors@canadianarchitect.com Website www.canadianarchitect.com use development across the site, Perkins+Will is proposing a central park with flanking roadCanadian Architect is published monthly by BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information ways, bridging across the Canadian Pacific rail company with interests in daily and community newspapers and businessto-business information services. lines. The park boasts a gentle 5.5% slope The editors have made every reasonable effort to provide accurate and (gradual enough that “you can cycle up it with authoritative information, but they assume no liability for the accuracy or completeness of the text, or its fitness for any particular purpose. your grandmother,” according to Drohan). Subscription Rates Canada: $54.95 plus applicable taxes for one year; $87.95 plus applicable taxes for two years (HST – #809751274RT0001). Underneath it, in addition to the operating railPrice per single copy: $6.95. Students (prepaid with student ID, includes way, is parking for the new development and for taxes): $34.97 for one year. USA: $105.95 US for one year. All other foreign: $125.95 US per year. Single copy US and foreign: $10.00 US. the adjacent downtown business areas. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Dept., Canadian Architect, 80 Valleybrook Dr, Toronto, The phasing of the development has been ON Canada M3B 2S9. carefully considered with Jeanna South, the Postmaster: please forward forms 29B and 67B to 80 Valleybrook Dr, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9. Printed in Canada. All rights client representative for the City. A portion reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the copyright owner. of the park is among the first places slated for From time to time we make our subscription list available to select completion, which South anticipates will procompanies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made vide an exceptional amenity for the area as well available, please contact us via one of the following methods: as sparking public interest to sustain the deTelephone 1-800-668-2374 Facsimile 416-442-2191 velopment. “Social capital and infrastructure are E-mail privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca essential to make brownfield redevelopment Mail Privacy Officer, Business Information Group, 80 Valleybrook Dr, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9 attractive and meaningful,” says South. Both Member of the Canadian Business Press she and Drohan aim to present the final masMember of the ALLIANCE FOR AuditED MEDIA Publications Mail Agreement #40069240 ter plan to City Council for ratification this fall. ISSN 1923-3353 (Online) ISSN 0008-2872 (Print) As it materializes, they hope it will demonstrate how infill growth can be balanced with suburban growth, mitigating the long-term costs Member of associated with greenfield developments. All three cases—in New York, Vancouver and Saskatoon—point to architects taking on a triple-bottom-line strategy, producing buildings and public spaces with economic, environmental and social benefits. These projects show that inventive spatial strategies can do more than We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical simply dazzle—they deliver tangible value to the Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. benefit of clients and residents alike. Inc.

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Projects

The National September 11 Memorial Museum & Pavilion at the World Trade Center site in New York opened to the public for the first time on May 21, 2014. In 2004, Snøhetta, along with associate architect Adamson Associates, was commissioned to design the only building on the Memorial Plaza. The design for the building embodies a careful reaction to the horizontal character of the plaza’s design, while also providing the area with a lively organic form that allows the visitor to imagine the site and city in a broader sense. The Museum Pavilion serves as the entrance to the Memorial Museum and sits at the heart of the World Trade Center revitalization. The program includes ticketing and main entrance to the museum, security screening, auditorium, and family room. As the primary structure above ground on the site, it serves to guide foot traffic and to provide a visual point of reference within a large area surrounded by several high towers. Its low horizontal form can be seen easily from all directions and provides a sense of intimacy in an otherwise overwhelming urban space. Its materials and gestures are designed to create a transitional architectural link between the urban surroundings and the Memorial grounds. The exterior of the building is clad primarily in metal that is composed of a simple striated mosaic of varying reflective surfaces, the subtle design of which is reminiscent of the façade of the former World Trade Center towers. The atrium is printed with a soft silvery pattern, providing both fluidity and a graceful integration between the two different materials and places. A significant aspect of the Pavilion’s identity is formed around a large glazed atrium situated over the Museum’s Memorial Hall near the centre of the Memorial Plaza, allowing visitors to see into the Museum where two large steel tridents, authentic structural elements recovered from the former towers, are on display. http://snohetta.com

Stantec Architecture and KPMB Architects selected for University of Lethbridge’s Destination Project.

The University of Lethbridge Board of Governors has chosen the firms Stantec Architecture and KPMB Architects, in joint venture, to lead the design process of its new science and academic building and energy/utility centre, key elements of the transformational University of Lethbridge Destination Project. Stantec Architecture/ KPMB Architects will undertake a comprehensive consultation process with university and community stakehold-

JEFF GOLDBERg/ESTO

National September 11 Memorial Museum & Pavilion at New York’s World Trade Center opens.

ABOVE The new National September 11 Memorial Museum & Pavilion at the World Trade Center in New York is a striking but reverential structure, a point of reference in a vast urban plaza.

ers, as well as complete the design phase of the project. The selection process included a request for qualifications, request for proposals, formal interviews, fee proposals and on-site interviews. The Stantec Architecture/ KPMB Architects team has completed projects of similar scale to the University of Lethbridge’s new science and academic building in the past, including the $140-million George Brown College Waterfront Health Science Campus and the $622-million Bridgepoint Active Healthcare Complex continuing care facility (both in Toronto). The consultation process began in May and will feature multiple design “super weeks” where a large contingent of the consultant team will meet with university and community stakeholders. In December 2013, the Government of Alberta announced a $200-million commitment to the project; the Province previously invested $12.5 million. www.uleth.ca/unews/article/architecture-firms-selectedkey-elements-destination-project#.U3FcdHajBjg

Winning team for National Holocaust Monument announced.

A design entitled “Landscape of Loss, Memory and Survival” presented by Team Lord of Toronto has been selected for the future National Holocaust Monument, which will be located in Ottawa. Led by Gail DexterLord, co-president of Lord Cultural Resources, Team Lord is comprised of architect Daniel Libeskind, artist-photographer Edward Burtynsky, landscape architect Claude Cormier, and subject-matter advisor Doris Bergen. The winning submission was selected from among six finalists who were invited to present their design concepts to a jury of professionals and to the public as part of a national design competition. It is a fully integrated proposal in which architecture, landscape, art and inter-

pretation communicate the hardship and suffering of victims while conveying a powerful message of humanity’s enduring strength and survival. The concept depicts a star created by six triangular volumes at each of its points organized around a large gathering space for ceremonies. Each one of these volumes provides a unique theme and ambiance for interpretation, contemplation and artistic expression. To ensure the lessons of the Holocaust remain within the national consciousness, the future National Holocaust Monument will be prominently located in the core of Canada’s capital at the corner of Wellington and Booth Streets, facing the iconic Canadian War Museum. The National Capital Commission will take on responsibility for the design development, construction and maintenance of the Monument; the official inauguration is scheduled for fall 2015. http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=847059

Awards Phyllis Lambert receives Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

Phyllis Lambert is the recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement of the 14th International Architecture Exhibition Fundamentals, open to the public from June 7 to November 23, 2014. The decision was made by the Board of la Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta and under Director Rem Koolhaas, who presented the following statement: “Not as an architect, but as a client and custodian, Phyllis Lambert has made a huge contribution to architecture. Without her participation, one of the few realizations in the 20th century of perfection on earth—the Seagram Building in New York—would not have happened. Her creation of the Canadian Cen-

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A Barrier to Fire. Not Inspiration.

tre for Architecture in Montreal combines rare vision with rare generosity to preserve crucial episodes of architecture’s heritage and to study them under ideal conditions. Architects make architecture; Phyllis Lambert made architects.” The Golden Lion was officially awarded to Phyllis Lambert on June 7, 2014 in the Giardini of la Biennale in Venice.

owners. The winning nominators are to be included/referenced in the recognition of the winning buildings. June 30, 2014 is the deadline for nomination submissions, and the announcement of winners will be made in October 2014. www.architecturefoundationbc.ca/best-buildings-contest/

www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/news/20-05.html

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2014 Design by Nature call for proposals. 2014 Prix du XXe siècle awarded to Toronto City Hall and the Strutt House.

Heritage Canada The National Trust (HCNT) in partnership with Architecture Canada | RAIC has honoured Toronto City Hall and Civic Square and the Strutt House with the Prix du XXe siècle for their enduring excellence as nationally significant works of architecture. Designed by architects Viljo Revell and John B. Parkin Associates (now NORR Limited Architects Engineers Planners), Toronto City Hall and Civic Square is the result of an international competition, which introduced the influence of the Finnish architect Revell to Canada at a key moment in the city’s development. It remains one of the most enduring Canadian examples of a 20th-century municipal public space and building that continues to successfully serve its original purpose. Strutt House is a rare and extraordinary example of Canadian modern architecture that remains a defining work of a significant postwar architect. James W. Strutt designed his unique geometric home in 1956, positioning it on the most southerly slope of the Gatineau Hills overlooking Ottawa. He built the first wooden hyperbolic paraboloid roof in Canada, which enabled large expanses of glass and undulating ceilings, simplified lines and a refined aesthetic quality. The jury for the Prix du XXe siècle was comprised of Susan Ross, Michael McMordie and Graeme Duffus. www.raic.org/honours_and_awards/awards_xxe/2014/ index_e.htm

Competitions Architecture Foundation of British Columbia Best Buildings Contest.

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To celebrate 100 years of architecture in British Columbia, the Architecture Foundation of British Columbia has announced the 100 Best Buildings Contest. All BC residents are invited to nominate their favourite building in which to live, work or play—it can be any structure or building in British Columbia. Those interested in making nominations are required to complete the online registration form, in which you must describe the building, its location, and why you think it deserves to be in the top 100 Best Buildings. The winning nominations will receive plaques, which will be given to the building

This juried sustainable design competition seeks sculptural installations, public art and functional furniture for exhibit during summer and fall at the Evergreen Brick Works campus in Toronto. Pieces appropriate to both interior and exterior application are encouraged, and should be designed to move easily between locations and withstand the rigours of an unsupervised public environment. All proposed designs must contain at least 50% existing, reclaimed or recycled materials. There is a limit of four pieces per submission, and each piece must be capable of being displayed independently of the others. The submission deadline is June 29, 2014. http://designxnature.ca/call-for-proposals/

What’s New Canadian firms merge to become Architecture49.

A leading group of architecture firms with offices in several regions across Canada have recently emerged as one national firm, as a result of a restructuring and rebranding process. Architecture49 combines the depth and breadth of the firms Arcop, AE Consultants, North 46, PBK , Smith Carter and WHW Architects. In recent years, all companies had entered into a strategic business relationship with WSP (formerly GENIVAR). The firm boasts a 60+-year history and depth of experience in designing complex high-profile projects in Canada’s urban and community settings and beyond. According to CEO Scott Stirton, “We’re excited about the opportunity of working together to create inspiring spaces that will help our clients elevate the health, social vitality and sustainability of their communities. Recognizing that market conditions are right for us to mobilize together for future opportunities and position ourselves in a nationally competitive marketplace, we’ve organized our national sectors in the six key areas of expertise for which we have become known.” The sectors include Sports & Entertainment, Health Care, Science & Technology, Hospitality, Security & Defence, and Transportation. Just as importantly, Architecture49 places priority on communityimpact projects that have been the foundation of the regional legacy firms. www.architecture49.com

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Slice and Splyce A detached Home in Vancouver’s up-and-coming SoMa district carves an average-sized space into light-filled geometric volumes. East Van House, Vancouver, British Columbia Splyce Design text Courtney Healey Photos Ivan Hunter Project

designer

Superlatives get attention—the tallest tower, the hugest house, the miniest microloft. So what about average? By the numbers, the East Van House by Vancouver’s Splyce Design is decidedly that. At just under 2,300 square feet on an average-sized lot, an average number of rooms were built for an average cost. What stands, however, is anything but. When Splyce’s Nigel Parish first met his client at a downtown coffee shop, she arrived carrying a monograph from the Japanese design office SANAA. The two went on to discuss the work of British minimalist John Pawson. There’s perhaps no better pair of precedents that evoke images of austere white volumes. Parish and his client then spent the better part of a year looking for the right property. She originally hoped to find an urban infill lot, but quickly realized that small lots in the city core are priced high for developers to aggregate them. The search shift-

ed further east to the recently rebranded South Main (or SoMa) district that bridges Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant and Riley Park neighbourhoods. SoMa is a trendy area with a mix of cafés, artisan bike stores and designer tattoo parlours rapidly appearing amongst a shrinking number of furniture dealers, electronics repair shops and noodle joints. While the chosen lot is of average size, it is somewhat atypically proportioned at 50’ x 75’ with no lane access (compared to the typical 33’ x 120’ residential lot). The anomaly is explained by a rear adjacency to a schoolyard. As a result, the house has an attached garage facing the street, a rarity in Vancouver. In this area of town, a peculiar zoning bylaw from the early 2000s produced the so-called “Mohawk Special”— low-pitched two-storey houses topped with Home Depot-like shed structures. Parish embraced the prescriptive requirements and quickly

Above East Van House blends West Coast materials, such as cedar slat cladding and a standing-seam metal roof, with clean-lined geometries inspired by Japanese and British minimalism. The resulting house stands out from its eclectic neighbours in the SoMa district of Vancouver.

worked through potential massing models, settling on an asymmetrical geometry that was aesthetically pleasing and conformed to the bylaws. From the street, the house presents a wide flat face, and is decidedly spare compared to its gingerbread neighbours. Inside, a compact plan creates a sense of entry and threshold on the short site without squeezing too much space from the living areas. The client wanted a high degree of privacy from the street, so Parish filled the front half of the main level with circulation, storage and service areas, and laid out the kitchen, living and dining areas across the back half. The plan more or less repeats upstairs, with circulation and office at the front, master bedroom and

bath along the back. This simple plan gains interest with subtle sectional shifts created by a line of stairs bisecting the house from east to west. The allotment varies from a few steps between the kitchen and living room to a 30-foot-tall stair volume extending the height of the house. While designed for a single occupant, the house includes room to grow. The open office on the second level is roughed in for a bathroom, and Parish has planned where a wall and door could be placed to create a compact third bedroom. The garden level contains the garage, laundry, and a guest bedroom and bathroom, and could be separated from the main floor and rented out in the future.

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ABove A 30-foot-tall open-riser stair slices through the house, doubling as a three-storey-high light well. top right Three steps and a fireplace separate the living room from the dining room, while a flanking set of sliding glass doors encourages a sense of continuity between the spaces.

On the ground level, Parish strategically placed small windows for privacy on the north, east and west elevations. To the south, a wall of sliding doors opens out into the garden. Like a cat, his client likes to follow the sun through the house; thus the deft placement of windows and skylights creates a dynamic play of light on white surfaces throughout the day. Swatches of morning light are thrown onto kitchen counters and into the master bath, tracking around to the garden by midday. Long ribbons of afternoon light illuminate the reading nook, stair landings and upstairs bedroom. The office enjoys mountain views and uniform north light throughout the day. Skylights are sized and located to avoid views of surrounding roofs, so even though the house is only a few feet from either neighbour, it maintains a sense of retreat. This is perhaps most effective in the master bath, where sliding glass doors extend the shower space onto a cedar-screened terrace. Splyce is also responsible for the exterior landscape design. At the street, a low concrete wall and gradient of planting beds lead up to the front steps. Trees are placed to screen windows, enhancing the feeling of privacy. The small backyard is divided into quadrants: an outdoor kitchen anchoring the southeast corner, a firepit to the southwest, a small ornamental garden in the northwest corner, and a wooden deck to the north. The deck adjoins the kitchen/dining areas and sits level with the adjacent schoolyard. New perimeter plantings, once grown in, will mask the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retaining wall and chain-link fence. The design elegantly blends a contemporary aesthetic of f lush details and f lat surfaces with the kind of nooks and crannies necessary to accommodate the collateral of daily life. Many modern residences

The rear of the house opens into a compact, smartly designed backyard that includes a firepit, ornamental garden and patch of lawn. Left A wide landing on the main floor serves as a cozy library and reading nook. Windows at the front of the house are deliberately kept small, enhancing the home’s character as a private retreat. Above

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are so tightly planned that there’s no place to drop your bags or to let stuff pile up before being put neatly away: this house can take it. East Van House also represents a largely successful marriage between the minimalist volumes that sparked the first meeting between client and designer, and a West Coast palette of cedar slats, grey stucco and folded standing-seam metal. The marriage is not unfailingly harmonious: for instance, approaching the front door, the cedar slats that appeared integral to the façade from a distance are revealed to be a thin scrim, and an underbelly of wood and steel bracing is exposed overhead. But such disorienting moments are few and far between. The overall effect is of a modest house with generous spatial volumes and an artful approach to light and views: an average house that is decidedly uncommon. Courtney Healey is the Director of Lodge Think Tank and an intern architect at PUBLIC in Vancouver.

Above Sunlight spills into the master bedroom, while a window in the angled wall offers treetop views from bed. Opposite, top to bottom An exterior wood screen maintains privacy despite the completely glazed wall of the luxuriously elegant bathroom; glass doors open the shower and tub areas to a screened rooftop patio for a spa-like bathing experience.

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above A complete merging of interior and exterior space is achieved through a sliding back wall of glass that opens up to the lush ravine context, and a type of reverse Spanish Steps condition sees shallow white oak treads descend into the living room, creating informal seating opportunities for family and guests. A half-storey below the main entry level, this sunken and embedded space benefits from increased ceiling height.

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all lined up A house in midtown Toronto skillfully addresses its unique ravine site perched above a disused rail line while meeting the needs of an active family of five. Bala Line House, Toronto, Ontario Williamson Chong Architects TEXT Leslie Jen PHOTOS Bob Gundu PROJECT

ARCHITECT

Toronto’s ravine system is legendary, featuring prominently in so many novels and poems by the country’s literary greats—Ondaatje, Atwood and Dewdney, to name but a few. While the ravines hold the promise of shadowy secrets, mysteries and hidden life below, no such darkness exists in this light-filled single-family home located in the established Governor’s Bridge district in midtown Toronto. Sited some 60 feet above a decommissioned rail spur—itself running along the steeply sloping Don Valley ravine—the Bala Line House is a modestly scaled infill on a gently curving crescent lined with homes built between the 1920s and 1940s. The insatiable appetite for real estate in Toronto’s overheated market and the continual reinvention of the city can be seen in the increasing number of renovations and new-builds (of varying degrees of success) in this desirable residential neighbourhood. The site’s history and rich topography informed Williamson Chong Architects’ design process. Behind the house and downslope, the historic Bala rail line was once active in the early 20th century in an industry-focused Toronto; today, it has morphed into a well-used pedestrian thoroughfare connecting the local ravine pathway system to nearby community attractions such as the much vaunted Evergreen Brick Works. Because of 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

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24 Left The front elevation reveals a pleasing interplay of materials and a geometric sculpting of the second and third floors—the partially recessed façade has the added benefit of providing western and southern light and orientation. OPPOSITE TOP A central family gathering space, the open kitchen and dining area dominates the main floor of the house. The integration of kitchen island and harvest dining table picks up on the firm’s earlier investigations into the notion of family and community cohesion through food. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM LEFT A view from the kitchen into the sunken living room at the rear of the house. The back wall slides completely open, and the eroded corner amplifies the effect by capturing even more expansive views of landscape and sky. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM right Impeccably crafted white oak cabinetry and honed granite countertops boast a precise and cleanly finished knife-edge detail.

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structure and integrity, and the architects eagerly embraced the opportunity to craft a residence that addresses and enhances the relationship to the particularities of the site. Designed for a charming couple and their three young energetic daughters, the house, at first glance, appears to be a fairly standard modern infill addition to a traditional streetscape. Closer inspection reveals subtle manipulations that integrate structure with site in a meaningful way. The floor plate of the three-storey home shrinks as one progresses up successive levels, resulting in a terraced form that respects the sloping condition of the site. Consequently, the side elevation boasts a ziggurat profile—the stepping down of volumes reflecting the cascading topography of the ravine beyond. In this way, light and views are maximized, and the provision of exterior decks on each floor encourages further engagement with the outdoors. Additional geometric manipulations are present in the front elevation, revealing a pleasing textural interplay of materials and a faceted sculpt-

ing of the second and third floors. The architects have carved into the façade on an angle, creating a shallow void that provides both western and southern light and orientation. A poured-in-place concrete structure is both an attractive and economically efficient solution; dark stucco and sapele wood form the additional cladding complement. The upper two storeys are cantilevered over the ground f loor, which— in addition to the faceted front elevation—creates a compositionally sophisticated form. The living spaces are compact, and there is nothing superf luous or excessive about the plan. There is not much in the way of an entry foyer; while there is a proper front door, family and visitors prefer to enter—at least during the warmer months—through the generously scaled sliding window wall that leads directly into the dining/kitchen areas. An abundance of glazing on the ground floor in both front and back elevations results in complete transparency, with views from the street right through the house to the lushly forested ravine landscape

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ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHt An oblique view from the street captures the ziggurat profile of the side elevation, revealing the architects’ terracing of form to reflect the sloping condition of the site; more sculptural wizardry is evident in the subtle, partially concealed curved contours of the concrete bench located at the front entry.

beyond. The warm and welcoming nature of the clients is underscored by the fact that they’ve not seriously considered the need for window coverings. And their gregarious personalities are illustrated by the cheerful assertion that they very much enjoy the two additional outdoor semi-public living areas of the small front patio and the more generously sized backyard space, both of which the family use abundantly. On the interior, ceiling heights are kept modest to squeeze three storeys out of the structure while still respecting neighbouring height limitations. However, sectional shifts within reflect once again the sloping condition of the site, and create a dynamic sense of compression and expansion. Entry at grade into the studio-like environment of the kitchen and dining areas gives way to a stair down to the sunken living room at the rear of the house, embedding it into the site and creating a much higher ceiling as a result. An unusual feature emerged from the TRCA’s mandate prohibiting disruption of the existing slope; because the architects could not excavate to permit direct at-grade access to the backyard from the sunken living area, they implemented a sort of reverse Spanish Steps condition. A shallow wide set of stairs flows into the interior space, further defining a sense of snug enclosure while providing substantial informal tiered seating for family and guests, fostering an atmosphere of greater sociability. One of the most striking features of the house is the sliding east window wall at the rear of the house, which blurs the distinction between interior and exterior space. This absence of boundary is further enhanced by the wraparound condition at the corner, where the north wall of glass also pulls away, creating a completely eroded corner that captures even more expansive views of landscape and sky. On the day of my visit, the children were running and jumping between the backyard and living room, moving effortlessly in and out of the two spaces as if they were one.

Two bedrooms and a generously sized bathroom are located on the second f loor to accommodate the children, while the master bedroom and ensuite occupy the entire third floor. Ample operable glazing and access to two roof decks provide additional engagement with natural light and air. And it is in the passage up and down and around the stair to these upper floors that one can fully appreciate the manipulations in the front elevation; the carved inverted bay window offers a surprise slice of southern sun and a view down the street. With such a degree of porosity designed into the house and the consequent opportunities for cross-ventilation and a constant supply of fresh air, there is no central air-conditioning system, a bold move given the oppressive heat and humidity characterizing summers in Southern Ontario. Significant savings were achieved in this manner—which, in addition to the efficient design and relatively humble building materials, means that the house was built on a surprisingly modest budget. It is a rare thing indeed to establish such an ideologically harmonious relationship between architect and client, and here, the rewards of such are evident. While the house is modest, Williamson Chong’s perfectly tailored design enabled the family to stay in the neighbourhood they so love and were loathe to leave. In exchange, the enlightened attitudes and easygoing nature of the clients made it possible for the architects to continue their ongoing design investigations and to further develop their significant award-winning residential portfolio.

The Orient, Expressed A super-compact super-narrow house in Ottawa is heavily influenced by Japanese design philosophies.

GenY House, Ottawa, Ontario N45 Architecture Inc. text Sarah Brown Photos Doublespace Photography

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Architect

The design process began seven years ago with a blank notebook. In it, Robert Matthews began sketching initial notions for what would become GenY House, a striking Japanese-inspired pied-à-terre that is remarkable for its compactness—just 650 square feet of usable space. While he pondered the challenges of designing for an extremely narrow lot, Matthews filled his book with observations, snippets of poetry, ideas gleaned from reading and travels, and pages and pages of drawings. Finally, in late 2012, construction began. As the house took shape, Matthews, principal at N45 Architecture in Ottawa, saw all of the ideas in that jam-packed notebook come together as a cohesive whole, a synthesis of his years of ruminations on privacy and space. Wood-screened balconies with tall vertical lines lend a sense of spaciousness to the tiny two-storey 650-square-foot dwelling.

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Located on a suburban lot just a few minutes’ walk from the Ottawa River, GenY House (so named because Matthews posited that the style and scale would appeal to Generation Y buyers) is the consequence of a zoning dilemma. The new house is built on a property that is already home to a 1920s cottage, with zoning that allows for a double. Initially, Matthews had considered taking down the rental property and constructing two townhouses in its place, but the idea of destroying the original house was unfathomable. But, because the cottage sat at a 45-degree angle on the property, it took up a lot of land, leaving only an eight-foot-wide strip on which to build. The challenge was on. “I knew it could be done and it could be comfortable,” says Matthews. “I’d been to Japan and seen a lot of tiny places. Plus, I knew, philosophically, that my wife and I really only lived in the living room and kitchen of our current house.” The finished house is just eight feet wide at the front (f laring to 12 feet at the back) and incorporates a number of smart details and architectural devices that make it feel truly spacious. South-facing porches on both floors almost double the size of the house so that, from the street, GenY appears much larger than it really is. Custom-built cedar screens glide back and forth, allowing Matthews to control both the views and the amount of sunlight entering the house. In summer, those porches act as additional rooms. Indeed, Matthews plans to add a curtain track on the upper porch, allowing him to hang a mosquito

Opposite Generous balconies provide plenty of outdoor living space for the small dwelling, while bay windows bring extra volume and light to the bedroom and living room. Above, clockwise from left A solid wood central stair threads together the two-storey house with its basement utility room; subtly textured finishes, a custom sink and a full-sized tub add touches of luxury to the bathroom; compact appliances were essential to creating a fully functional kitchen within the narrow floorplate.

net and use it as a breezy second bedroom. Bay windows in the living room and bedroom also make those rooms feel larger, adding two feet to each and connecting the interior and exterior spaces. The kitchen, which is situated at the narrow end of the house, is a wonder of compact design, with Matthews incorporating all manner of tricks to ensure five feet of counter space. When prep room is needed, a custom-built cutting board nestles over the two-burner stove, while a Corian insert fits seamlessly into the sink. Other appliances include a combination convection oven and microwave, an apartment-sized dishwasher and a compact refrigerator. “I have prepared a dinner here and—as long as you’re organized—there’s plenty of space,” says Matthews, though he admits that he sometimes wishes for just a bit more room to work. In his original sketches, the kitchen was intended to fit along the longer side wall. Also placed in the narrow front section is the second-floor bathroom, a great example of big design in a tiny space. Matthews kept the look clean and bright, anchoring the room with woven grass-textured tiles on the floor and along the main wall of the bath. A deep soaker tub with granite surround is a stand-in for the Japanese tub Matthews had initially doodled in his notebook. Though he was loathe to set aside that first concept, he was concerned that a wooden tub would require too much care. A handmade vessel sink with a fish motif, created by a Nova Scotia artist the couple discovered while travelling, sits atop custom cabinetry.

When Matthews named the house, he was imagining how this pared-down design—modern, affordable and harmonious in its simplicity—would appeal to young people living mobile lives. “I think many of us are intrigued by the idea of living in a space like this,” Matthews explains. “It reflects a simpler lifestyle we have dreamt of but don’t necessarily know how to express.” Strangely, perhaps GenY House holds even more appeal to an older clientele weighed down by the accumulations of life. For his part, Matthews isn’t quite ready to downsize to the extent needed to move into his house full-time. He and his wife maintain their current residence in rural Ottawa, using GenY House for entertaining and when they stay in town for cultural events. It also continues to inspire Matthews to jot down ideas in his sketchbook. He’s currently finalizing plans for a compact Japanese-style garden sanctuary alongside GenY House. Sarah Brown is an independent writer and editor based in Ottawa. Her specialties include design, architecture, gardening, and food and drink.

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Pools: Aquatic Architecture Edited by Trevor Boddy. New York and San Francisco: ORO Editions, 2013.

Last fall, Vancouver’s Hughes Condon Marler Architects (HCMA) released a book that focuses on the swimming pool. As its editor, Trevor Boddy, notes in the introduction, “There is surprisingly little in print about the public swimming pool as a building type.” Which is a shame, considering that pools, to put it crudely, are where the action is. Aquatic centres and outdoor pools in Metro Vancouver are aging and the demand on facilities is going up. Since 2001, HCMA and its predecessor firm, Roger Hughes + Partners, have played a key role in upgrading or replacing a number of aging pool facilities in the region—and there is more work to be done. Among the firm’s highlights is the stunningly beautiful Killarney Community Pool in Vancouver. It sits atop a berm and features a long wall of coloured glass. It is aptly described as “a lantern in the park.” Another local project, the high-profile Olympics legacy Hillcrest Centre, includes a number of pools. Here, like at Killarney, glue-laminated beams vault and swaths of glass connect swimmers to natural light and vistas. This is no surprise as big beams and big windows have become essentially de rigueur in public architecture in the region. And this book showcases how HCMA delivers those generous expanses while meeting “specific performance criteria that need fulfillment at high levels.” As such, the book is more of an impressive portfolio than an examination of the building type. It leaves readers pondering: how do these buildings mediate our attraction to water? In what ways does the pool as pleasure palace (why else the prevalence of the super slide) contribute to its function as a social condenser? Does gathering in semi-nudity change the way we see social and racial difference, and what role does architecture play? The depth of such matters, though hinted at, is never fully plumbed.

Make Alive: Prototypes for Responsive Architecture

John C. Parkin, Archives, and Photography

Edited by Rodolphe el-Khoury, Christos Marcopoulos, Carol Moukheiber and Nashid Nabian. Philadelphia: Oscar Riera Ojeda Publishers, 2012. (Also published as The Living, Breathing, Thinking, Responsive Buildings of the Future. London: Thames and Hudson, 2012.)

By Linda Fraser, Michael McMordie and Geoffrey Simmins. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2013.

Responsive architecture promises buildings that can interact with various physical contexts, as well as learn and adapt to user needs. In this book, there is an attempt to go beyond describing the technologies to explore their formal possibilities. The book features 51 projects, either design ed by the editors or by students under their supervision at the University of Toronto, MIT and the University of Hong Kong. One notable example is the IM Blanky. The quilt features a swirling motif stitched in conductive thread and decorated with beaded movement sensors. The network relays real-time data on the tilt and shape of the blanket. The prototype quickly drew interest from occupational therapy researchers, who foresee future applications monitoring sleep disorders. Some of the projects, including the Blanky, were created at a University of Toronto research lab adjacent to Toronto’s Bay subway station. The subterranean lair houses 3D printers, laser cutters and a waterjet cutter that can silently slice through eight-inch titanium. Nearby there is a motorcycle on a plinth, a mannequin wearing a responsive dress and large sheets of moss in varying stages of decay—artifacts from projects in the book and from newer research. The premise of the research is that every building component can be equipped with computational power. So the format of the book causes some frustration—it is merely a book. Photographs and a short text provide only a glimpse into projects like the Tunable Sound Cloud by student Mani Mani. This reader longs to click to enlarge, scroll through more images, and test the aural responsiveness of the Sound Cloud in a changing space.

John C. Parkin’s ascent to become a giant of postwar Modernism in Canada is at the core of John C. Parkin, Archives, and Photography. From the Ottawa train station that graces the book’s cover to the pioneering Toronto Aeroquay (now demolished), his firm’s elegant large-scale projects set the standard for what architectural Modernism was in this country. An excellent wide-ranging introduction to Parkin’s work and formative experience, this handsome paperback gathers five essays and an archival interview with the architect. These are accompanied by Hugh Robertson’s exquisite, seemingly airless photographs documenting the work. This pairing brings into sharp focus Parkin’s construction of a contemporary architectural practice, which included the canny deployment of photography to support an aura of inevitable competence. Among the most striking images in the book is a mandala-shaped diagram illustrating the explicitly rational organization of Parkin’s office, with the client at the centre and radiating spokes of specialist consultants and departments, neatly summarizing the firm’s ethos. Robertson’s photos are a high point. His studio, Panda Associates, produced images equal in evocative quality and persuasive power to the best North American architectural photographers of the postwar period. The Panda photographic archive is so strong and vital that it deserves its own standalone monograph. The book showcases holdings from the University of Calgary’s Canadian Architectural Archives, home to both the John C. Parkin and Panda Associates archives. While the authors take pains to state that this is not a comprehensive monograph on the architect, they needn’t apologize. They have assembled an excellent introduction to Parkin and laid the groundwork for more exciting work to emerge from the University of Calgary archives.

JJ Lee is a memoirist, fashion writer, and holds a Master

Terri Peters is an architect and PhD researcher based

Javier Zeller is an architect working in Toronto with Dia-

of Architecture from the University of British Columbia.

in Copenhagen and Toronto.

mond Schmitt Architects.

canadian architect 06/14

books

canadian architect 06/14

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Archaeology of the Digital: Media and Machines May 21-October 5, 2014

This exhibition at the Canadian Centre for Architecture investigates the engagement of architecture with digital technology, extending from the design of buildings to the design of interactive media, interactive robotic mechanisms, generative algorithms, and the writing of disciplinary and cultural theories. www.cca.qc.ca

Hands-On Urbanism: How to Make a Difference May 28-July 1, 2014

This exhibition in the main lobby of 150-9th Avenue SW in Calgary explores urban gardening through the lens of informal settlements and the politics of space. Here, cultural theorist Elke Krasny critically unveils a history of citizenled acts leading to collective community ambition, responding to urban and economic pressures. http://dtalks.org

Pierre Thibault seen by Georges Teyssot and Alessandra Ponte: Architecture as Landscape May 29-October 5, 2014 This exhibition at the MAQ in

Montreal analyzes the significant work of Quebec architects between 1995-2015 to better understand its international context.

www.maisondelarchitecture.ca

ition at Toronto’s Design Exchange highlights more than 150 accessories, utensils and furnishings that show off Spain’s crosspollination of design, creativity and gastronomic values. www.dx.org

John C. Parkin, Archives and Photography book launch

shaping the 21st century.

http://cityage.org/westerncities/

2014 International Garden Festival June 28-September 28, 2014

This contemporary garden festival at Les Jardins de Métis in Quebec features six exciting new projects. www.refordgardens.com

June 20, 2014

Arctic Adaptations: Nunavut at 15 at the Venice Biennale June 7-November 23, 2014

Directed by Rem Koolhaas, the 14th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice features a project by a Canadian team led by Lateral Office that explores the challenges inherent in the modernization of the Canadian Arctic. www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/

This event at Shelf Life Books in Calgary at 5:00pm celebrates a new publication focused on the work of John C. Parkin, an architect who led the wave of postwar Modernism in Canadian architecture. www.shelflifebooks.ca

CityAge: The Western Cities Summit June 23-24, 2014

TAPAS: Spanish Design for Food June 12-August 10, 2014

Presenting a rich selection of Spanish product designs dedicated to the world of food, this exhib-

product showcase Fiberboard panels manufactured in Canada by MSL and WLF meet the most stringent environmental criteria, made entirely from non-toxic natural materials. They are stable, lightweight and easy to install, and have been placed at the top of the ranks for soundproofing, insulation and roofing panels. Innovation continues to be an important focus at MSL and WLF, recently recognized by industry professionals at Contech for Sustainable Development and Innovative Products. www.MSLfibre.com

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CityAge takes place in Edmonton, and is a platform for ideas and business development, designed to enable new partnerships among the business, government and societal leaders who are

Design and Health 10th World Congress July 9-13, 2014

The architecture, design, health and wellness sectors will meet at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto to share the latest research findings and knowledge on the global application of salutogenic perspectives on improving human health, well-being, and quality of life through design. http://events.designandhealth.com

For more information about these, and additional listings of Canadian and international events, please visit www.canadianarchitect.com

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West Side Story TEXT

Elizabeth Pagliacolo

A group of toronto designers sets out to complete a vital pedestrian and cycling link to the downtown core. Standing at the fenced-off train tracks at Lansdowne and Dundas Streets, Scott Dobson, of Friends of West Toronto Railpath, bellows, “Now imagine if you could walk right across to meet your friends on the other side.” Those friends, on bikes, and the rest of us, on foot, have come out to tour the future second phase of the Railpath. Tentatively slated to begin construction in the next two years, it will connect with the existing Railpath to complete a 5.3-kilometre trail adjacent to the downtown core. The path will sync up with various neighbourhoods along the way: ramping up from a community garden squeezed against a fence in Brockton Village, linking to the grounds of the West Lodge apartment towers, and bridging areas currently divided by the railway. Unlike New York’s High Line, a decommissioned piece of infrastructure begging to be filled with function, the West Toronto Railpath extension—designed by regionalArchitects, with new bridges by Montgomery Sisam Archi tects, landscaping by Victor Ford and Associates, and artwork by Public Workshop—will muscle its way through dense residential and industrial areas. It will carve out space alongside the expanding GO line and future airport link and meet up with new and existing

bike paths on side streets and major arteries. The popular first phase of the Railpath opened in 2009. Designed by Brown + Storey Architects with Scott Torrance Landscape Architect, it’s much simpler by comparison, as it reclaims an existing trucking road alongside the rails. The asphalt path celebrates the industrial character of its surroundings through such rugged design elements as oxidized steel street signs and cubic boulders, massive metal-mesh sculptures by John Dickson, and a vibrant graffiti mural. The path currently ends at the high-traffic intersection of Dundas Street West and Sterling Road. This dangerous crossroads sets out the extension’s main challenge: to provide seamless transitions—especially at this intersection, and at other locations where the path converges with the street—and bring cyclists and pedestrians safely downtown. It’s a formidable challenge at that. “The corridor will be much narrower,” explains Paul Kulig of regionalArchitects, noting it will be about five metres wide, compared to the 15-metre-wide first phase. “Plus, all the pedestrian bridges and ramps will be new, as opposed to existing heritage structures.” In cities around the world, similar rail-and-

Above On a recent tour led by regionalArchitects, locals examine the site of a future bridge, planned as part of the West Toronto Railpath’s second phase.

trail and rail-to-trail schemes are flourishing. These plans exist thanks to years of effort by community members, cycling activists, city politicians and transit authorities working together to reclaim infrastructure engineered long ago. At the time the rails were laid, citybuilders had no inkling that many of us would be weaving through the urban jungle on our bikes and on foot, and set aside no room to accommodate these uses. Beyond providing transportation alternatives, a dense downtown core benefits from these vibrant detours for relaxing, playing and escaping the density itself. While Toronto could still use a cohesive citywide bike plan, the Railpath is a welcome respite from the ceaseless traffic. Since it opened, the first part of the path has hosted movie nights, bike tune-up sessions, and provided small businesses with alternate delivery routes. There’s no doubt that the full stretch—what some are already dubbing, perhaps exaggeratedly, a cyclists’ superhighway— will be a gathering space for all walks of life, while reconnecting and reanimating the working-class neighbourhoods around it. Elizabeth Pagliacolo is a Toronto-based architecture and design writer.

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