NORTHVIEW (2008)

Central Light Court
Situated in a dense neighbourhood, the adjacent houses are a mere few meters away. Typical of the Toronto house type, this building could potentially be dark with little exposure to natural sunlight. This is chronic problem because of the building lot shape; long and narrow. Compounding the natural light problem, few and small windows are permitted in the side wall, due to the fire code regulations. This commission enabled us to come up with the practical antidote used beginning with the Romans; the central courtyard. We placed a large light court in the very centre of the house. It appears to split  the floor plan in half. Each half now enjoys natural light from two directions, making it bright and airy. There are also north facing skylights at the top of light court with an opening window.  In the summer it vents interior hot air to the outside; simultaneously, this air is replaced with cool air that is pulled inside from beneath the backyard using underground ducts. It is an alternative to conventional air-conditioning that is all natural.

Green Roof and Walls
The roof as built is prepared for an alpine roof garden planted mainly with sedums. While bare so soon after construction, the exterior walls are planned to be covered with climbing vegetation such as morning glory and honeysuckle. The foliage on the roof and walls will prevent the house from heating up in the summer.

all projects