Indoor-Outdoor in Toronto
The Canadian client specifically sought out Abramson Architects to design a house that had the form, light and material that is prevalent in our Southern Californian work. Themes of indoor-outdoor integration and light filled spaces were adapted to the Toronto climate. The first floor base is mostly solid, in response to the harsh Canadian winter, and is clad in layers of stone and wood. It reads heavy and rooted to the earth. As the facade lifts up and away from the grade, it is wrapped in wood and detailed as a rain-screen, which stands proudly on the stone below it.
The second floor is light and almost without walls. The roof flies above and its apparent lightness is expressed by its thin, six inch profiles. Natural light was central to the design, and the AA design team implemented skylights, sliding doors and large scale windows throughout.
Upstairs, the airy bedrooms open to a central hall with a sitting area, lit by clearstory windows and finished with crisp white walls. The interior spaces are tranquil and connected to the green suburban landscape.
