The 'Driveway House' fits an odd Toronto lot
The ‘Driveway House,’ by architect Rohan Walters, was built on a 10-by-37-foot lot near College and Landsdowne.Peter Legris
Thinking of ‘flexible housing, social relevance [and] changing demographics,’ Mr. Walters designed the home to be barrier-free on the ground floor: ‘That’s a principle that is timeless.’Peter Legris
The living room open to the sidewalk.Peter Legris
Rusty Cor-Ten steel frames a svelte, dark-tinted cinderblock box punctuated by two sets of French doors.Peter Legris
First floor bathroom. The mechanical ‘guts' of the home are behind the sliding panels: radiant floor system, boiler, HRV, electrical panel, and a washer/dryer combo unit.Peter Legris
Threshold-free, the bathroom floor slopes at a 1.25 degree angle for drainage, with plenty of room for a wheelchair to turn around.Peter Legris
Main floor living room. Plywood hides behind every inch of drywall on the ground floor so, if needed, pull-bars and drop-tables can be attached in future (his current tenant does not use a wheelchair). Reinforcing the walls this way, says Mr. Walters, means the ground floor could easily adapt to a new use, such as an art gallery.Peter Legris
First floor bathroom. Ceiling detail. Inside, raw wood rules: Ceiling joists, window casings and staircases have all been left bare. Open wood, explains Mr. Walters, regulates humidity, and softens the somewhat harsh LED lighting used throughout.Peter Legris
The second floor consists of a dressing area, another bathroom and the master bedroom.Peter Legris
Instead of enclosing it with walls, the stairwell has been glassed in ‘so that you don’t think you’re in a small space.’Peter Legris
Nine-foot ceilings help enlarge the second floor.Peter Legris
Second floor stairs to third floor.Peter Legris
The third floor, with its seven-foot ceiling height, would make for a lovely office or child’s bedroom. Throughout, industrial cable ‘raceways’ hanging from the ceiling carry electrical lines and double as storage for shoes and other small items.Peter Legris
View from the deckPeter Legris