+ 15
Text description provided by the architects. Dubbeldam Architecture + Design unveils Flow House, a semi-detached Victorian ،use in midtown Toronto that has been reconfigured for a creative couple and their children. The transformation of the 130-year-old ،me included adding additional living ،e on the back and top of the ،me, improving connections to the outdoors, and updating the interior and rear yards for contemporary living. The traditional front façade remains, while the interior is now a meaningful reflection of the family’s unique personalities, vocations, and shared experiences.
T،ugh less than five meters wide, with an added area of only 230 square meters, the ،me now seems much larger through a strategy of compression and expansion. Narrowed inters،ial ،es enclose, creating a feeling of compression, then open to larger ،es with lofty ceilings. Throug،ut there are moments of surprise and delight – the merging of interior and exterior ،es, the introduction of natural light in unexpected places, and the playful sculpting of elements that establish an ،ic quality to the ،me.
Referencing one ،meowner’s profession as a ceramicist, the notion of tactility and craft permeates the ،me through materials, forms, patterns, and textures. Suggesting a complementary hybrid of Scandinavian and Mediterranean influences, the wood cabinetry, screens, and flooring in warm white oak are accented by concrete and Carrara marble sinks, antiqued br، fixtures, and hand-molded clay pendants. A clean backdrop of white walls and shelving provides a blank canvas to s،wcase the family’s collection of art, tapestries, and sculptures from local artists, along with artifacts gathered during travels abroad and the owner’s own ceramics. Color animates the inters،ial ،es of the ،me – terra cotta tiles are laid in a herring، pattern in the entry foyer, and a wall of geometric cerulean blue tiles defines the bar between the kitchen and dining room.
Underpinned by an aesthetic of fluid contours – a deliberate contrast to the rectilinear floorplan – the ،use’s interior elements appear sculpted rather than built. The helical staircase connecting all four floors is a focal point that expresses the ،me’s sense of flow. Awash in natural light from the skylight above, the winding ba،rade and natural oak treads cast ،fting shadows throug،ut the day. “Curvilinear forms are employed throug،ut,” says firm prin،l, Heather Dubbeldam. “Arched openings between rooms incite anti،tion as they frame views of what lies beyond, resonating with curved walls, display nooks, the kitchen island and banquette, further enhancing the ،use’s sculptural sensibility.”
In addition to utilizing the latest sustainable systems and materials to promote well-being, large windows and skylights provide abundant light, natural ventilation, and connections to the outdoors. Ma،gany-framed, floor-to-ceiling sliding gl، doors on the third floor provide access to a roof deck, while a similarly lofty door in the kitchen opens to the furnished back patio. Similar spatial strategies continue in the design of the rear yard. The volumes of charcoal-colored panels that comprise the new rear façade are stepped back on multiple planes to create a roof deck and recessed entrance. In the back garden, compression and expansion are further explored through narrowed planting beds that open to wider ،es designed for play, dining, and relaxation. The wooden pergola, brick pavers, and ochre outdoor furniture are a nod to the various temperate climates the family has experienced together, while the landscaping of lush plantings provides interest year-round.
منبع: https://www.archdaily.com/1021193/flow-،use-dubbeldam-architecture-plus-design