What initially attracted me to this property was how brilliantly the architects at Thirdstone Inc. [^] were able to maintain such an open plan with the limitations of its narrow city lot. You see, it’s not uncommon to find city lots in Canadian urban centres being thin and long. In this case, the property is 25 feet wide by 140 feet (or 7.6m by 42m) in dimension!

This project is a great example of infill housing, which is when a new building replaces an obsolete structure that is at the end of its life span or has been destroyed by fire, for example. It may also occur when an older property is torn down to construct a new one that represents a higher and better use for the site, such as a single-family dwelling on a large lot being replaced with townhomes or a condominium. These each represent forms of intensification and densification of land use, typical in older urban neighbourhoods in proximity to a city’s downtown core.

In the case of The LG House, the project’s design started by defining the dwelling’s necessities within the limitations of the site, such as meeting specific setbacks, height limitations, and orienting where the onsite parking must be located. The architects also organized the space plan according to each zone of living (public, semi-public and private). Considerations included, for example, access to the outdoors, capturing specific views or sightlines, and paying attention to how natural light traversed the property.

Once the foundation for the design was created, then – like many design-build firms – the creative process of accommodating the wishes, wants and needs of the client (or the investor if the objective is to maximize the return) is completed. Incorporating efficient intelligent design is often an objective.

In the case of this slice of domestic bliss, a courtyard was cleverly placed to increase the natural light, ventilation and connect the indoors with outdoors for more seamless living. I also like how the space plan contains small “cut-outs” around the kitchen and entertainment zones, to enhance the circulation.

The upper level contains the private sleeping quarters, though it also incorporated a flex space connecting to the children’s bedrooms so there is a communal play and study zone.

For privacy, windows were situated closer to the ceiling – as shown in the washroom below – so natural light can flood the space. And to keep the project cost-efficient, standard materials were used with the occasional indulgence to elevate the attention to detail that accommodates a design-build project.

Would like to learn more about The LG House?

Here is a three-part video series that explains in more detail several of the design decisions of this project. Click the video below to learn more!