Twosome House Atelier RZLBD

Twosome House Atelier RZLBD

HOUSES•TORONTO, CANADA

Architects: Atelier RZLBD

Area: 540 m²

Year: 2019

Photographs: Borzu Talaie

Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Graff, Napoleon, Regency, Savaria, Subzero/Wolf, Unilock, Acadian Flooring, Adobe, Gib-San, Porcelain Tiles, Royal Lighting, Total Cabinet

Lead Architect: Reza Aliabadi

Mechanical: Noor Design Inc.

Structure: Recon Consulting

Design Team:Sebastien Beauregard, Arman Azar, Aziza Asat, James Chungwon Park

City:Toronto

Country:Canada

A five-person family can live in the 540 square meter, two-story Twosome House in Etobicoke. Floor layouts are established by precise regulating lines in the manner of Louis I. Kahn. The property is divided into various zones by two axes, with rooms arranged in accordance with its program. The division of spaces into "public/private" and "servant/served" areas creates a distinct sense of order throughout the house. North to south is the project's first dividing line. When approaching, the building appears as two separate volumes: an eastern wing in the shape of a square covered in stone veneer and a western block covered in stucco. Family-friendly sections are separated from open spaces intended for hosting visitors by this two-part arrangement, which is preserved to the west (which dominate the eastern side). This translates to a cozy kitchen and family room on the ground floor, hidden away in the western corridor's more limited space, and a flexible living room in the square-shaped wing that seems appropriately majestic in scale. The primary entry of the house is a two-meter-wide hallway that is somewhat recessed and serves as a point of reference between these parts.

East to west runs a second defining axis through the eastern part of the house. A wraparound staircase is supported by a triple-height concrete wall that serves as the volume's main focal point. Its purpose was to create the home as a solid fortress, but it also served as a boundary: on one side, there are rooms for service operations that should be kept out of sight, and on the other, there are more flexible areas for entertaining.

For instance, on the second level of the house, the region south of the staircase is dominated by a landing that looks out onto the spectacular double-height living room, while the area north of the staircase is filled by a laundry room, the second mechanical room, and an elevator. The two-volume plan of the house organizes its program while also providing aesthetic and environmental benefits. One benefit is that it makes the large property appear less imposing in comparison to other surrounding houses by softening its scale. Another benefit is better control of light and heat. As a brise soleil, the rectangular western volume shields the neighboring wing from wind and sunlight. The home's energy-saving features also include two separate mechanical rooms, a double-height moveable shade that partially covers the southern windows of the eastern wing, and radiant heating in the basement.

Amenity rooms that encourage wellness were also important because one of the homeowners works in the health sector. The proposal features a fitness center, an outdoor infinity pool, a sauna, and a jacuzzi for rehabilitation after a workout. A greater connection to the natural world is encouraged by the design's introduction of peaceful periods. For instance, a reflecting pool constructed outside the basement sauna can be lit from above by one of the seven skylights that are installed, thanks to a glass floor in the first-floor corridor.

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