Glebeholme
Completion of the Bloor Street Viaduct in 1918 generated expedient development throughout Toronto’s east end. The results were templated modest homes, practical yet largely deficient in space and natural light.
Glebeholme—a semi-detached sample of this house type—was elongated to reconfigure and expand living spaces. A window wall, strip windows and a lightwell puncturing the upper floor collaborated to deliver a luminous interior throughout. The house front was left untouched, as intervention was not required.
Location
Toronto, Canada
Completion Date
2016
Area
3,070 SF
Status
Completed
Type
Residential
Renovation/Addition
Challenge
Programmatically, the house required more living area. To create a larger family room and also a sense of continuity between the indoor and outdoor spaces, a new living room pushed northward into the yard, stepping down to meet grade. The kitchen and existing living room were reworked to create a sense of openness from front to back.
Process
The design approach for the project prompted correction of the main deficiencies – particularly the lack of light throughout the home pronounced by inadequately sized living spaces.
Large amounts of glazing, as well as a lightwell puncturing the second floor creates a more evenly lit and brighter interior. At the upper level, the rear of the house is again greatly opened, creating a view of the large trees in the yard. The master ensuite connects into the lightwell – allowing for a view of the sky within the centre of the house.
