House on Ravine Edge
Shim-Sutcliffe Architects' House on Ravine Edge is a series of low pavilions that make the most of Toronto's unusual terrain.
Architects & Firms
Toronto
Sometimes called “the city within a park,” Toronto is known for its ravine system–natural river valleys that create urban oases. At the edge of one of these forested pits, Toronto-based Shim-Sutcliffe Architects used an intimate understanding of the terrain to design a single-family residence of Wrightean pavilions clad in weathered steel and green, powder-coated-aluminum panels. “The house and the pool house are part of a journey from the city to this natural area,” says architect Brigitte Shim.
After visitors arrive in the driveway, a long weathered-steel wall to the left and narrow koi pond to the right guide them to the covered entrance canopy. The canopy is partially clad in geometric green panels that screen a bedroom window. (The material palette is one the architects like–they used it on an assisted-living facility for a congregation of nuns, which recently opened in Toronto.)
The extensively glass-walled ground floor contains a living room with mahogany fins along the south elevation that offer privacy while maintaining a view. Here, a poured-in-place-concrete floor and columns contrast with the delicate custom stainless steel uplights.
Outside, the site slopes down to a pool house with a weathered-steel green roof that floats above a wood deck and fireplace, creating an outdoor room. “Even though it's a new house, it feels like it's been there a really long time,” says Shim.
Completion Date: July 2011
Gross Square Footage: 6,566 sq.ft. (incl. basement), Pool House - 969 sq.ft.
Location: Toronto, ON
PeopleInterior designer: Engineer(s): Mechanical: Electrical: Civil: Consultant(s): Audio/Visual: Millwork: General contractor: Photographer(s): CAD system, project management, |
ProductsStructural system: Exterior cladding: Moisture barrier: Roofing: Other: Windows: Glazing: Doors: Wood doors: Sliding doors: Hardware: Pulls: Interior finishes: Paneling: Solid surfacing: Special surfacing: Special interior finishes unique to this project: Furnishings: Lighting: Plumbing: |
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