949 Arckitekt House
Studio combined living space designated for the concept, find balance between outdoor environment and indoor space.
Design Focus:
-- Located in Toronto downtown, have required space for working office and private area. Owners enjoy quiet space but need convenient access for customs and coworkers. Qing prefers a place to be alone despite her partner enjoying communicating with others.
-- Growing up in Asia, interested in simple Japanese and Chinese art, requiring a library for storing their collection books, also as a reference for workers. Since the location has a great view of the park, a deck is on the demand list. Need a large living area for activities like painting, relaxing and socializing (when friends are over). The living space should be around the cooking area and on the first floor for privacy.
-- There employee has a closed relationship with them, therefore, they would like to share kitchen and living room to accommodate and chat with them about working process, daily life and so on. But Qing likes painting and there might need another room for her or a big living room with separate walls. Although their work required them to get up earlier, they still prefer less daylight in the morning to ensure quality sleeping.
Main Issue:
Private & Studio, maintain the sculptural façade while keep living area private and comfort
Define new relationship between environment and interior
maintain clarity in a small area
Skill: Sketchup, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Miro, Modeling
Two-story height with separate function – first floor served as public area, working space, living room and a meeting room. In two-thirds of the house, green plant space opens from the roof, providing sufficient light. Transport zone delicately located between bookshelves, also work as space dividers.
The second floor has a little living room and private office, giving customs enough privacy. Respond to the demand that private area for painting and stay from crowd. Balcony constructed in the front of the bedroom, introduce park sense. Diagonal lines contribute to form the space to a sculptural feature as the landmark of the park, stairs, private office, bedroom aligned with the 30-degree oblique line. Two glass openings provided different versions environment landscape while protecting neighbours’ privacy.
Based on the investigation to the laneway, house located on 949R Dundas Street West, faced South, could see the park and avoid mass traffic. 949 Arckitekt house takes up 7m X 12m of lane way. Remained trees beside land lot, decrease house’s right-side height to provide enough space for the plant.
First Floor designated to the public area, client and employees get full access to look around. At the north of the house, triangle shape opening not only leads sunlight in but dismisses the strict studio feeling. People could see the living room from the second floor, with diagonal shape, the kitchen could not be visible, keep the sense pretty and clean.
Optical Glass on the façade door could open depending on different occasions, consider of the park might be noisy in the afternoon, this material could prevent voices come in and support quiet working demand.
The second floor was designed for private space, remaining few living rooms and a private working area. Green space changes its shape from rectangle to square, guaranteeing enough sunshine and water that plants need. Laundry, washroom and bedroom located at the east of the plan while working, living at west. Implied divide the space to working and rest. A huge balcony with a pool constructed in the front of the balcony, gives full access to the park view. But also apply concrete railing to protect privacy.
I would like to conclude this project as exploring and investing space go through the environment to the interior; from the public, semi-public to private. At first, I’m pushing too hard to separate private and public space, but maybe to define is to limit. As people, things are always connected to each other, blurring the boundary does not mean that it will be less functional.
How to maintain clarity in a small area was another issue, instead of putting too much thing o fill the room, think about what is essential.
House Tour