GREAT LAKE STUDIO
Bickford Park
A bold reimagining of a typical downtown Toronto semi-detached residence for a next-generation family.
The project presents a fresh vision of contemporary urban living, and a case study in the inventive repurposing of vintage Toronto housing.
Location: Bickford Park, Toronto
Design Team: Great Lake Studio
Construction: Catalyst Design Build
Photography: James Morley/ Doublespace
The existing home is typical of its downtown neighborhood: long and narrow; severely constrained by the lot it occupies and a close huddle of neighboring homes. Interior spaces were subdivided into small, dark compartments, with all the usual functional obsolescence of downtown housing circa 1900: a small tucked-away kitchen, woefully cramped bathrooms, poor circulation, and limited useful storage space.
Working within the constraints of the existing building envelope, the project seeks to freely explore the latent potential contained within the building’s total horizontal and vertical volume. The overall intent is to create a bright, fluid spatial experience, knitting the various regions of the home together in unexpected ways to foster a dynamic and playful family life.
Common areas are layered into one another both horizontally and vertically, sharing space and light to achieve a feeling of expansiveness that belies and defies its compact footprint.
A funnel-shaped, sky-lit interior light well is a defining feature, distributing daylight and opening-up unexpected views; creating a sculptural, interconnected environment that allows the home to breathe. The light well pushes horizontally into upper floor levels, introducing panels of clear and etched glass to bring daylight to peripheral bedrooms and bathrooms without compromising privacy. Every area of the home receives daylight from multiple sources at different times of day, creating a soft, ethereal atmosphere throughout which changes with the weather and colour of the sky.
The light well is further enhanced by a slender steel and glass switch-back stair. The stair touches lightly around its perimeter but otherwise floats without any intermediate support. Distinctly minimal in its detailing, structural stringers composed of 6mm steel in two layers support glass guards and thin floating treads. The lightness and transparency of this assembly enables the stair to occupy the light well without diminishing the latter’s essential function as a device for amplifying space and distributing natural light.
Woven into this backdrop, a collection of idiosyncratic features reflects the homeowner's unique lifestyle needs and personality: a series of tucked away niches for cherished family artifacts; hidden flashes of richly textured wallpaper; a floating platform at the foot of the stair for a gathering of favorite plantings; a hidden study overlooking the levels below.
The stair lands above a five-sided floating platform designed specifically for the homeowner’s collection of favorite plants, which take center stage while basking in light from above. Like so many of the home’s other features, the platform has multiple layered functions, deliberately elbowing out from under the stair to provide casual overflow seating for guests.
Also at the ground floor, loosely arranged living areas pivot around an unusually positioned fireplace ‘peninsula’, built into the end of an oak divider cabinet and entry closet. This arrangement allows the fireplace to be enjoyed equally while cooking, dining, and relaxing, and creates a welcoming gesture for guests arriving at the front door.
An example of inventive planning and using small spaces to maximum effect is the third-floor study. Overlooking the top of the stair, a leftover corner of the primary bedroom suite becomes a peaceful alcove complete with desk, bookcase, and a view of the sky. Sharing space with the light well makes this modest feature useful and enjoyable well beyond its square footage.
The overall result is a home that reveals itself slowly, inviting playful exploration with many unexpected moments of delight to discover along the way.