Home is where the heart is: The Brother’s Residence

The Brother’s Residence is an integrated piece of architecture, designed by Alva Roy Architects, on a narrow midtown lot backing onto a laneway, in Toronto’s Bloor West neighborhood.

This multi-unit building forms a distinct street edge with sharp, orthogonal geometries for three families on Lippincott Street. The home also marks a positive addition to the wide variety of low-rise residential, commercial building types that comprise Ward 11 of Toronto at Harbord Street area.

The interior spaces cater to the functional needs of the family of each brother without compromising on the form. Three thousand six hundred square feet of well efficiently planned and lit living space are spread out over four levels in three units.

Each unit has separate means of egress to address proficiently the fire and building code, and separate laundry and furnace rooms facilitate the function. Three bedrooms including the master bedroom, main and walkout entry, kitchen, living, dining, and office occupy the lowest level and main floor. A master bedroom opens onto a courtyard at the below street level, defining a balance of urban edifice and green refuge.

Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, mechanical room, and laundry facilities occupy the second and third-floor units separately. A private spacious balcony on the top floor also introduces sunlight into the master suite.

The house presents a combination of rich and natural materials that predominate the façade of the building. The Combination of six sides sawed Eramosa stone and Shou Sugi Ban cedarwood are complemented by porcelain floor tiles and anodized aluminum laser cut screen walls.

The interior stairs are crafted from oak panels, matched by similarly pre-engineered oak floors and handrails lighted up by the skylights.

Despite Lippincott urban context, access to outdoor space is not neglected: a rear balcony off the main floor, lower level courtyard, and a front-facing terrace at the third-floor master suite ensure private outdoor relaxation.