This house, now for lease, comes with an interesting story. It's on a particularly iffy stretch of Harbord - not that it's a bad/dangerous street, really, but it's high-traffic and it's in the crappiest stretch of this long urban thoroughfare. That shadow on the right is a lane way - aka alley for those who live elsewhere.
What you see in this photo is not what existed on that spot of land a year ago. A year ago the land was razed. And that's because some idiot (I presume drunken) clipped the former edifice (admittedly a 1 room shit box that might have been 400 sq ft. including the basement) and knocked it half to pieces.
What ensued was a year long slog with the municipality to get zoning for a new structure. Now, almost 2 years later, you see this. Let me assure you, it's quite lovely, even if the photo doesn't show it. You know how I like boxy modernism, intelligent urban design and improvement of my general surroundings.
There's a great skylight at the top and a terrific roof top terrace (seriously wanted in TO). The place is still tiny but, I imagine, well put together - if my observation of its construction is anything to go on. And it is 2.5 floors above ground with a basement. Probably hits 1000 sq. ft. now. Note the cement box, the extent of its frontage, is yet to be landscaped.
What do you think?
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It's very Tokyo, so I can't help but love it. Insanely tiny blocks like that call for innovative planning and smart use of space - and for those reasons, they're often some of the best residential designs!
ReplyDeleteHusband Mike would love it ... but I have reservations. I prefer slightly more traditional buildings for the living-in.
ReplyDeleteI love these kinds of in-fill. We have a large design department at the local university here and the city is dotted with amazing houses those guys build.
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I weirdly love it. And with where I am headed, speaks volumes.
ReplyDeleteWV: mabbl - motherspeak babble?
Interesting, but isn't it among tradicional constructions??
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a spot different from the surroudings?
xoxo
Are you thinking of moving? If I were to leave my 100+ year-old home, I'd get something aggressively modern. Nothing in-between, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe instant attraction to it is there. I am considering it... :-) How are you anyway! Sorry ive been MIA for so long. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat was a lovely house..;D
ReplyDeleteGreat style,simple but still,looks lam..;D
Have a nice day k-line.;D
Glamorous i mean,i forgot the letter G".lol =)
ReplyDeleteIt looks pretty darn fab, I swear at first I thought this was in Tokyo.. lol I dig the colors and the large windows....
ReplyDeleteYou read french? I thought of you when I saw this story about a duplex conversion/renovation in the Plateau. There's a slideshow of many pics of the interior if you can't read the article.
ReplyDeleteMs. U: I agree!
ReplyDeleteSal: I like mega-modern or super olde fashioned.
D.: That's living design for you. Love it!
Tessa: I think you are moving to a lovely, quiet country place, yes? Tranquil in a totally different way.
Seeker: The style is fairly unique for the landscape - not crazily so, but it's pretty modern in the scheme of things.
Miss C: Not thinking of moving. How could I do that to my house? :-) I am thinking of renovating though. And I totally agree, it's super old or super new.
Hey Cordelia: Nice to see you!
Summer: It is glamorous in its simplicity.
GJ: It reminds me a bit of your rental post photos...
Raven: Thanks, I do read French and I can't wait to look over this. Mercixo
Husband Mike does love it. There were a lot of buildings with this feel that have gone up in Seattle where plots are tiny!
ReplyDelete-Mike
I like it. I'm open to all styles of domicile. I love that the ugly old thing was replaced by a cool new thing, something that can contribute to the landscape, rather than detract from it.
ReplyDeleteHey, Husband M - so nice to see you here. Sal told me you'd like it... (I'd love to know what you think of my flower photos if you get a chance - though not unless you like them! :-))
ReplyDeleteE: I so agree with you. And I really dig ultramodern. I may go for that with my next house...