Canadian design studio +tongtong recently transformed a three-story Victorian house in Toronto by incorporating contemporary schemes while retaining its traditional elements. According to the firm, “This challenge was met with an emphasis on natural materials and light.” The reconstruction added a large triangular window to the top floor, dark zinc cladding along the exterior, and an interior light well that provides abundant natural illumination throughout the house.
The brilliant redesign was inspired by rural living and the original date of the home, as well as the use of industrial materials throughout both the interior and exterior. Inside, a vertical shaft brings light from large skylights down 3 stories, illuminating the ground floor while animating a zinc wall and ceiling above the kitchen.
The front yard includes a walkway and a retaining wall, along with a landscaped berm to serve as a layer of privacy between the street and the residence. Creatively constructed, the outdoor space is used for play and includes theater-style seating. The rear facade was entirely modernized with a massive awning that covers a wooden terrace and a large elm tree to help shade the house.
Throughout the interior, palettes of grey, silver, white, and black are intermixed with occasional pops of vibrant color. A large triangular window on the top floor—whose shape is amplified by clean white lines—provides expansive views of the neighborhood and the city skyline in the distance.
The open and bright modern home was awarded Interior Design’s 2015 Best of Year (BOY) Awards in the Small House category. +tongtong was started in 2012 by John Tong and the firm has designed many homes in the Toronto area, bringing their “sense of possibility and a passion for developing spaces that nurture and inspire creativity.”
+tongtong: Website | Facebook
via [Contemporist, Dezeen]
All images via +tongtong and Lisa Petrole.