Situated on a corner lot within the context of traditional Edwardian gable homes in Toronto’s High Park neighbourhood, the Westminster residence aims to provide an underlying sense of familiarity and continuity within the archetypal roof form. Hidden within a steep terracotta roof, the project explores the notion of spatially occupying the underside of the roof, akin to an attic. The compact footprint is counteracted by the oversized gable roof, which produces cathedral-like spaces that volumetrically open to the underside of the steep chapel roof pitch, punctuated by top-lit skylights.

On the main floor, a large, floating covered porch occupies the side yard of the corner lot beneath the heavy cantilevered roof, extending to a private garden. The primary bedroom above expands into a tall roof dormer, overlooking the garden below behind a 20’ tall brise soleil, which shields a private balcony and provides a courtyard feel within the city lot.

The simple project form is a composition of three dark monolithic figures, a low dark brick-clad volume, a heavy triangular stone-clad roof, and tall rectilinear dormers. The heavy roof hovers asymmetrically on top of the first floor, cantilevering the covered carport and side patio and producing an unsettling dynamic between the simple volumes. Similar in size and materiality, the dormers take on diametrically opposite stances in the project, with one grounding the west façade as it meets the ground, and the east dormer inexplicably cantilevered and hovering above the carport.

The material atmosphere is a marriage of Villain’s lair meets light and airy refuge (this was a literal marriage of partner goals). The restrained palette consists of dark stained plain sawn walnut, heavy unfilled travertine, concrete, and dark textural lime wash walls that juxtapose heavily against double height, light-filled soft lime wash walls, wide plank knotted white oak floors, and soft linen drapery and fabrics. The sequence of moving from a compressed cavernous spatial experience to its inverse is narrated as one moves throughout the home.

The main entry to the building is punctuated by a floating ¼” steel projection that acts as a semi-private enclosure and threshold. This intimate space on the exterior of the house extends the dark, compressed interior entry and circulation conditions within.

The exterior palette includes natural materials that will patina gently over time and becomes one with the low maintenance spreading sedum landscape, from heavy, rough, and textured terracotta roof shingles, and and-pressed brick in a delicate variety of coursing details seen throughout the neighbouring context, vertical hand brushed wood siding and screening, thin powder coated aluminium projections, raw galvanized steel, and a combination of the rough and smooth cast in place concrete. This moody palette of textures cast in place concrete pavers accumulate to form the entry steps and retaining walls around a sunken basement courtyard, providing a private and south-facing exterior space off the rec room.

The side yard's acid-etched concrete patio is detailed to float above the sloping landscape and interfaces with the building through a continuous galvanized linear slot drain.

 

Technical sheet

Completion date: [July, 2024]

Site size: [.08 acres or 3,490sf]

Total construction cost: [withheld]

Client/Owner: [withheld]

  

Project team:

[Jodi Batay-Csorba and Andrew Batay-Csorba, principals; Sacha Milojevic, Jacob Henriquez, Myles Bury, design team]

Architect of record + Interior designer: [Batay-Csorba Architects, 264 Jane Street, Unit A, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6S 3Z2, 647-717-9925, www.batay-csorba.com]

Engineers: [Structural: Contact Structural Engineering Inc]

Consultants:

[Mechanical: Elite HVAC Designs;

Landscape: Gravenor Landscape Design;

Arborist: Davey Resource Group]

General contractor: [Whitaker Construction]

Photographer: [Doublespace Photography]

  

SPECIFICATIONS

Exterior Cladding

Masonry: Van De Moortel

Metal panels: Urban Steel Products and Custom B-CA Design (steel guardrails, door/ window projections and exterior stairs)

Wood: Fraserwood

Moisture barrier: Zip System R-Sheathing and Intello Plus by Pro Clima

Curtain wall: Heroal (Division 8 Openings Inc)

[Cast in place concrete]: Elite Concrete (landscape/ hardscape) and Martins Custom Concrete (porches)

  

Roofing

Tile/shingles: Ludowici

Windows

Metal frame: Heroal (Division 8 Openings Inc)

Glazing

Glass: Heroal (Division 8)

Skylights: Artistic Skylights and Velux Skylights

Doors

Entrances: Bauhaus Doors, Whitaker and Custom B-CA design (front door), Heroal/ Division 8, Whitaker and Custom B-CA design (back door)

Interior Wood doors: RK Doors

Sliding doors: Heroal (Division 8 Openings Inc)

Special doors: SlideGate (sliding exterior gate)

[Door stops]: CBH

Hardware

Locksets: Joseph Giles, Halliday Ballie, FSB

Pulls: Dauby

[Hinges]: Tectus

[Metal Handrails and Brackets]: Urban Steel Products and Custom B-CA Design

Interior Finishes

Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: EDM Canada, Whitaker and Custom B-CA Design (stone cabinetry and sinks), Cabinetlab, Whitaker and Custom B-CA Design (millwork)

Paints and stains: Pure and Original (lime paint), Benjamin Moore

Panelling: Cabinetlab, Whitaker and Custom B-CA Design (wood panelling)

Solid surfacing: Corian (laundry countertop)

Floor and wall tile: Stonetile (Travertine stone at fireplace, bathroom floor and wall tiles, entry and mudroom tile)

Resilient flooring: Canada Mats (gym)

[Wood flooring]: Moncer Flooring

[Stone slabs]: EDM Canada (Travertine slabs)

Furnishings

Sofa: Living Divani (Ital Interiors)

Chairs: Living Divani (Ital Interiors)

Side Tables: Cassina (Ital Interiors), &Tradition (Basement coffee table)

Drapery: Brading Specialty Shades (drapery), Silent Gliss (drapery tracks)

[Floral arrangements and ceramics]: Flùr

[Art]: Lilium Crum (Alison Milne gallery), Alexander Jowett (Alison Milne gallery), Maria Sulymenko (Alison Milne gallery)

Lighting

Interior ambient lighting: Nemo Vintage (kitchen), Luceplan (Dining pendant), Lumina (bedroom wall sconce), Bocci (bathroom)

Downlights: Liteline, Delta

Exterior: B-Light (Darktools), FlexaLighting North America (Cas Di Luce)

[Backlit mirrors]: Grand Mirrors (bathroom)

[Linear lighting]: Lumentruss (light coves)

Plumbing

Faucets: Cocoon (Gingers) and CEA (Canaroma) (Kitchen and Primary bath)

Showerheads: Cocoon (Gingers) and CEA (Canaroma) (Primary bath)

Basins: EDM Canada, Whitaker and Custom B-CA Design (Custom stone Kitchen and Primary bath), Duravit (Gingers), Blanco

Tubs: Cocoon Solid Surface (Gingers)

Toilets: Duravit and Geberit (Gingers)

Bidet: Duravit and Geberit (Gingers)

[Primary Bathroom Mirror]: JANGEORGe

Other

[Appliances]: Gaggenau (Ovens, Fridges, Dishwasher, Downdraft), Pitt (Cooktop)

[Fireplace]: Stuv

[Operable Screens]: Phantom Screens (east sliding doors)