House of Monitors
A palette of concrete and wood, emerging from the sandy soil of the Scarborough Bluffs and left to weather, shapes the 380 square meter home.
The house addresses sustainable design through a combination of passive and active strategies. High thermal mass concrete walls and floors moderate indoor temperature fluctuations by absorbing and slowly releasing heat. The double pour concrete walls are thermally separated with 4” of insulation that forms a continuous insulation layer around the entire house, eliminating thermal transmittance and minimizing heating and cooling loads. Operable clerestory windows enable natural ventilation via the stack effect, enhancing indoor air quality and taking advantage of the winds off the Lake. Collectively, these features contribute to reduced operational energy demand and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Emerging from the ground as inhabitable shoring, concrete volumes form the framework of the home, with a wood volume above that cantilevers on the north and south sides.
On the north side, a concrete volume marks the entry. Inside, it houses support program on the ground level then becomes a light monitor on the second floor where shaped skylights guide light into the north-facing rooms. Two volumes anchor the centre of the home. A triple-height volume holds the dining room, capturing southern light through a clerestory and illuminating the ground floor. On the east side, the second volume houses the kitchen and opens on the second level for the painting studio. Here, the ceiling curves to the north and washes the room in even light. To the south, views to Lake Ontario open through the tree line.
Place
Scarborough Bluff, Ontario, Canada
Architect
Williamson Williamson
Construction
Ripple Projects
Call TORP for more information:
416-968-2768
