Designer/Architect: Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
Architect/Design Team: Heather Dubbeldam, Oliver Dang, Rachel Tameirao, Jacob JeBailey, Bindya Lad
Completion: 2011
Size: 1,850 sq. ft.
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contractor: DDF European Design
Photography: Tom Arban, Bob Gundu

The dining area with monochromatic palette that includes walnut floors, white and dark gray walls, highlights the house’s architectural forms and lines.

The floating bookcases housing the owner’s collectibles, or a chalk board wall for play.

A kitchen with long island highlights the new operable windows, maximizing natural ventilation, stack effect, and daylighting.

The kitchen adjacent to the dining room, with a contrast employed to 'brighten' internal rooms without direct access to natural light. — The kitchen adjacent to the dining room, with a contrast employed to ‘brighten’ internal rooms without direct access to natural light.

At each level, the stair is punctuated by a black element to define space.

The reconfigured layout and location of the stair shows the creativity of the design.

Contrasting elements are placed in proximity to produce an intensified effect.

A bright and airy bedroom with a floating bed, walnut floors, white walls, and a wide glass window leading the terrace.

The bedroom home office with vaulted ceilings and wall-mounted book shelves.

A bathroom with floating cabinet, a big vanity mirror, and a walk-in shower with a black backdrop that contrasts with the white wall.

The toilet area, which has grey flooring and walls, as well as a marble-topped sink and a wide mirror.

The terrace with wooden deck and plant beds, it offers an over looking views of the nearby residences.

A long and narrow house, only 11 feet wide on the rear façade - was reconfigured to allow direct sight lines to new window openings. — A long and narrow house, only 11 feet wide on the rear façade – was reconfigured to allow direct sight lines to new window openings.

Situated on a corner lot in a dense Toronto neighbourhood, the intent of the remaking of this narrow 125-year-old residence was two-fold: to increase natural light in the interior using contrast, and to reduce the house’s ecological impact. An increase of natural light is accomplished through both physical and perceptual means.

Physically, the long, narrow house – only 11 feet wide on the rear façade – was reconfigured to allow direct sight lines to new window openings. Perceptually, contrast was used as a means to ‘brighten’ internal spaces without direct access to natural light.

Contrasting elements are placed in proximity to produce an intensified effect. At each level, the stair is punctuated by a black element to define space – be it floating bookcases housing the owner’s collectibles, or a chalk board wall for play – and to create contrast to visually intensify the natural light spilling down from above.

The monochromatic palette – walnut floors, white and dark gray walls – highlights the house’s architectural forms and lines, but is animated by the family’s collection of colourful furniture, art, books, and toys. The tonalities and concept flows from inside to out.

Clad in black-stained cedar vertical boards soaring upward to conceal the modest roof deck behind, the exterior is a bold counterpoint to the red brick Victorian dwelling to which it is attached. Many passive sustainable systems are employed to minimize environmental impact.

The reconfigured layout, location of the stair and new operable windows maximize natural ventilation, stack effect, and daylighting, reducing the need for both air conditioning and artificial lighting. Integrated with the roof deck, a green roof absorbs rainwater and provides a cooling effect for the upper floors, further reducing the dependency on utilities.