East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Table, Beam
© Andrew Snow

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Exterior Photography, WindowsEast York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Countertop, Wood, Sink, BeamEast York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Dining room, Table, Windows, Chair, BeamEast York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Exterior Photography, Windows, Brick, FacadeEast York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - More Images+ 15

Toronto, Canada
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  2100 ft²
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2019
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Andrew Snow
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  CIOT, James Hardie, Stone Tile
  • Lead Architects: Hesam Rostami - Bahareh Atash
  • City: Toronto
  • Country: Canada
More SpecsLess Specs
East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Exterior Photography, Windows
© Andrew Snow

Text description provided by the architects. The future of cities is tied to sharing space and resources. Shared housing seems inevitable to provide multigenerational homes, aging in place for baby boomers, or affordable models of ownership for millennials. Mild densification without changing the permitted form and density in underutilized residential-detached zone seems to be a viable solution. Already allowed secondary suit will simply double the number of households in a neighborhood, but we were not settling for the common basement unit, but rather a properly lit and ventilated one.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Exterior Photography, Windows, Brick, Facade
© Andrew Snow

Looking for a suitable place to develop a prototype, we found the tiniest house on a block in Toronto’s east end with a beautiful backyard and room to grow. East York is an exemplary borough of Toronto equipped with a balance of city amenities and connection to nature, and this house was a typical example of good proportions, solid bones, natural finishes, and maybe not historically valuable but a century-old charming.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Beam
© Andrew Snow

We rearranged the layout in the existing house and optimized the area of the two-story addition structure in the back to provide enough room for two stacked units. While the new sunken living room in the lower unit provides extra height and ample light for main spaces facing the porch and backyard, the extra high ceiling of the great room in the upper unit brings in the sunshine and cross ventilation.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Image 20 of 20
Floor Plan

Large windows facing the rear of the lot carefully frame a seemingly endless row of backyards while avoiding any unwanted privacy concerns. Strategic placement of skylights brought extra light into the bedroom and washroom meaning we could maintain the existing low-pitched roof in front of the house keeping the visual impact on the street minimal.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Table, Windows, Beam
© Andrew Snow
East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Dining room, Table, Windows, Chair, Beam
© Andrew Snow
East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Table, Chair, Windows
© Andrew Snow

As a principal, we aimed for the least amount of waste in two ways, keep and repurpose as much as possible, and build simple, natural, and local. Length of structural span, cutline of cladding panels, and number & area of proposed windows have been carefully designed to optimize the use of material and energy needed. Existing kitchen cabinets and appliances in the lower unit are reconfigured, repainted, and combined with a new countertop, custom-made brass shelves as well as ready-to-install upper cabinets.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table
© Andrew Snow

The same amalgamation of old & new, cheap & expensive, off the self, and custom is used throughout the house. Most of the furniture is refurbished Danish or Canadian midcentury modern or pieces we previously owned, complimented with custom build light fixtures and handmade fabrics and rugs.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Countertop, Table, Windows, Sink
© Andrew Snow
East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Wood, Table, Beam
© Andrew Snow

Visual and sensory connection to natural materials and textures is the main basis of the design palette. Wherever possible we showcased the pure and natural beauty of stone, wood, or metal. While exposed structural lumber joists in the great room expose what this structure is made of, it is paired with carefully tailored and finished maple boarding and trim bringing warmth to the space. Brass, various species of local wood with a natural finish, and limited use of small-cut marble are among the precious materials we used in anticipation to see them enrich the space while aging naturally.

East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Countertop, Sink
© Andrew Snow
About this office
Cite: "East York Duplex / Rostami Atash Atelier" 24 Jun 2022. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/984109/east-york-duplex-rostami-atash-atelier> ISSN 0719-8884

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.