The site sits at the meeting point of two very different street conditions, and the brief asked for a building that could hold both without apologising for either. Our response was to let the plan pivot around a single top-lit volume, so that circulation reads as one continuous move rather than a sequence of corridors.
Material selection was driven by what could be sourced within a day of the site. Douglas fir for the exposed structure, a lime-based plaster on the party walls, and a single run of terrazzo that ties the entrance through to the rear courtyard.
Daylight does most of the work here. Clerestory glazing on the north elevation gives an even, shadowless light through the working day, and the deep reveals on the south side keep summer gain manageable without resorting to external shading.
Details: Top L: Entrance and stair, Top R: Kitchen millwork
Bottom Row: Rear elevation from the courtyard
Photos by: Rémi Carreiro Photography
The existing structure was in better condition than the survey suggested, which let us spend the contingency on the envelope instead. Insulation was taken well past code, and the resulting fabric performance means the space is heated almost incidentally.
Working closely with the client through construction let a number of decisions stay open longer than they usually can. The joinery in particular was resolved on site, against the real light, which is why it sits so precisely against the openings.
What began as a straightforward fit-out became an argument about how much of the original fabric to reveal. We settled on removing the later partitions entirely and leaving the repairs legible, so the building reads as something continuously worked on.
