York St Residence - Modern Two-Story Addition To Heritage Home Renovation

The project reflects a joyful take on the classic “box on the back” renovation. Its design embraces a nimble and sensitive response to a heritage context, while also meeting the specific needs of the client in creating a space that is a pleasure to live in. Transforming a previously dark and minimally ventilated house, the design breaks open the segregated floorplan (typical of this typology), to provide an engaging sequence of interlinked, yet not quite open-plan spaces, each with its own character to create a quiet haven - a suburban sanctuary. An existing heritage building is transformed through the introduction of a modern, two-story addition that playfully reinterprets the distinctive geometry of the original dwelling through a contemporary lens. Capturing abundant natural light and garden aspects, the new addition employs a refined and subtle palette of brick, steel, and timber. Capitalizing on the site’s orientation and garden aspect, every component of the new addition is oriented to achieve ma