Located near King City, Ontario, what was once a traditional mock-Tudor dwelling, has undergone a transformation way beyond its original design².

Conceived by the Canadian firm Bortolotto Architecture and Design, the project team designed the home as a link to the natural elements¹.

The architects emphasized “space, form and light and its connection to the outside world"¹.

This goal was clearly executed. The dining room is surrounded by floor to ceiling glass, creating an immersive experience with the outdoors.

As part of its environmentally harmonious design, the home incorporates passive technologies to reduce the home’s footprint. These technologies include “site orientation, passive solar and passive ventilation as well as geothermal, VOC free materials, in-floor heating, thick foam insulation at building envelope, solar and photovoltaic technologies” ¹. This sustainable design was accomplished in collaboration with Halsall Associates Ltd.

Following their design program, the architects were also playful, using shapes and angles to create distinct spaces.

While the exterior is angular in design, the interior exposes us to meandering lines. The result is an eye-catching.

(Source: Globe and Mail)

Just look at this innovative use of space as the floor gradually curves into a desktop.

Above: the whimsical, swooping motion of the ceiling visually opens up the living room while mimicking the curve of the piano.

While this house was rebuilt in the same footprint as its predecessor, it is now forward-thinking in design and energy efficiency.

The progressive technologies used in this home are well suited for its contemporary style

Unless otherwise noted, all pictures sourced from Bortolotto Design Architect Inc. 

Researched and Written by Larisa Nagelberg, Graduate of Environmental and Human Geography from The University of Toronto

References

1. Borlotto Design Architect Inc. House in Kings Cross. Retrieved from http://www.bortolotto.com/Portfolio/House-in-Kings-Cross.aspx
2. Leblanc, D., Gill, S., & Arban, T. (2013, December 12). A New Slant on a Rural Home. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/a-new-slant-on-a-rural-home/article15917879/