Redesigned main staircase in an expansive entryway. White and dark espresso stained risers and treads create a sophisticated contrast.

Tom SibleyFull gut renovation and facade restoration of an historic 1850s wood-frame townhouse. The current owners found the building as a decaying, vacant SRO (single room occupancy) dwelling with approximately 9 rooming units. The building has been converted to a two-family house with an owner’s triplex over a garden-level rental. Due to the fact that the very little of the existing structure was serviceable and the change of occupancy necessitated major layout changes, nC2 was able to propose an especially creative and unconventional design for the triplex. This design centers around a continuous 2-run stair which connects the main living space on the parlor level to a family room on the second floor and, finally, to a studio space on the third, thus linking all of the public and semi-public spaces with a single architectural element. This scheme is further enhanced through the use of a wood-slat screen wall which functions as a guardrail for the stair as well as a light-filtering element tying all of the floors together, as well its culmination in a 5’ x 25’ skylight.

©Judy Watson Tracy Photography

Emilio Collavino

photo by Katrina Mojzesz http://www.topkatphoto.com

Located in Toronto’s Beaches district, 150_W addresses the challenges of maximizing southern exposure within an east-west oriented mid-lot while exploring opportunities for extended outdoor living spaces designed for the Canadian climate. The building’s plan and section is focused around a south-facing side-yard terrace creating an L-shaped cantilevered volume which helps shelter it from the winter winds while leaving it open to the warmth of the winter sun. This side terrace engages the site and home both spatially and environmentally, extending the interior living environment to a protected outdoor space for year-round use, while providing the framework for integrated passive design strategies. Architect: nkA Photography: Peter A. Sellar / www.photoklik.com