The John Street Infill project introduces gentle density to this North End neighbourhood by integrating two independent suites into one three-storey form, an upper two-storey unit and a main floor secondary suite. The design takes advantage of the full width of the 22.5-foot-wide lot allowing for a separate entrance to each unit from the street and a covered parking space tucked under the front elevation.
The front and back facades are divided vertically by two materials, vertical wood siding and horizontal black corrugated metal panels. This emphasizes the slenderness of the form and reduces the mass of the three-storey home. The vertical wood siding plays off of the horizontal lines of the traditional wood shingles that characterize the neighbourhood and brings warmth to the exterior. The metal was chosen for its fire-resistive properties and is a nod to the industrial uses which still exist in the neighbourhood.
On a narrow urban lot, it was important to maximize glazing on the front and back facades and provide access to outdoor spaces at every level to create a connection to the outdoors with every day living. The two-storey unit’s main living space feels open and spacious as it maximizes the full width of the lot and has a visual connection to the backyard and through to the front of the house with the open staircase design. The owner’s unit features a large deck off the main living space, a Juliette balcony off the front bedroom, and a third-floor deck off the main bedroom. The secondary suite is designed to provide a comfortable and efficient living space that opens onto the shared backyard.
The home is highly energy efficient with a continuous layer of insulation and air-tight weather barrier around the exterior envelope. All combustion of fossil fuels was eliminated by utilizing heat pumps to heat and cool. The house was made solar ready with a PV system to offset electrical use in phase 2.
Project Team:
Builder: Castone Construction
Structural Engineer: Andrea Doncaster Engineering Ltd.
