Originally built in 1939, the Hambly House is one of only a handful of Art Moderne houses to be found in Ontario. The original building, built for Jack Hambly, was already a striking example of streamlined late Art Deco in Hamilton.
Image Courtesy of http://freshbrick.blogspot.ca/
For the renovation and reimagining of the house, Hamilton-based firm, DPAI Architecture joined heads with Toms + Mcnally Design. The goal was to update both the aesthetics and functionality of the original style while simultaneously celebrating the bold, modern spirit of the existing home; a designated heritage building.
Toms + McNally Design understood that the renovations needed to be equally bold and use technology of today; but to do so quietly, with light, openness and transparency as a respectful gesture to the past design. Keeping the spirit of Art Moderne design, the additions are governed by the same logic that organized the original façade. DPAI Architecture stuck with the flat roof and an archetypal curved corner. They also maintained the speed-striped stucco walls and characteristic nautical-inspired detailing including a porthole window, and a prominent front door surround.
On the ground floor, the square footage was expanded with the inclusion of a back dining room and loggia serving to open and expand the kitchen into the backyard.
Utmost care was taken to preserve details where possible, including the original ceiling plaster work and marble fireplace in the main living room.
Clean, minimalist custom millwork unifies the completely refinished interior. The owners then added a touch of brilliance by starting the kitchen’s design with a bright turquoise stove and fridge brought over from their previous home.
The expansion of the building went beyond just the horizontal. A second storey was added with a curved corner that mirrored the home’s original solid curve below. It features a light-filled, expansive living area which opens to a rooftop patio at the front. Wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass, the space is open to the neighbourhood in tandem with the envisioned design principle of transparency.
The rear-cantilevered volume of the upper storey also boasts a generous master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.
The Hambly House just shows me that while some styles are products of their time, they do not have to be prisoners of them. The design team has breathed fresh air into a style of the Modern movement without removing it from its roots. Hopefully stylistic fusion and reinvigoration like this become more prominent in our world of contemporary design.
Be sure to visit the websites of DPAI Architecture and Toms + McNally Design.
The beautiful photographs are thanks to Revelateur-Studio.
Researched and Written by Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku, Undergraduate Student of Architectural Design at the University of Toronto
