Lawrence Park by StudioAC

The project brief requested attention to function to create a home that a family could grow into while ensuring the formal response was equally considered and the space was subdued and minimal...

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From the architect: StudioAC introduces Lawrence Park Residence, located in a tree lined residential neighbourhood in North Toronto. The project brief requested attention to function to create a home that a family could grow into while ensuring the formal response was equally considered and the space was subdued and minimal. The Lawrence Park Residence looks to navigate many contradictions that can all be true at once - creating a singular response to the complexity of a home.

How can a floor plan celebrate openness and transparency, while still creating a distinct spatial identity? How can a facade conceal the interiors, while maximizing light throughout?

The front facade appears stoic, with grey brick and limestone stretching across the South face, interrupted by a very systematic placement of openings. The entry is flanked by an intimate living space that conceals the open floor plan at the back of the house. This space is lined with tall, narrow windows, creating a staccato play between the solid brick facade and brief moments of transparency. Beyond this, a double height space invites a winding staircase and brings light into the kitchen at the center of the plan. The living space at the rear extends into the yard to create an exterior harbor between living and dining - fostering a relationship between the spaces, while creating distinct separation and identity for each. This harbor introduces a long stretch of West facing windows on an otherwise North facing facade and, in doing so, invites the warm evening light into the plan.

The winding stair leads to a double height gallery space overlooking the kitchen, at the heart of the home. The primary bedroom cantilevers beyond the ground floor plan, stretching into the rear yard and overlooking the west facing reveal in the plan. Distinctly more private, the second story is wrapped in brick, contrasting the vast stretch of glazing that reveals the living and dining spaces below. The rear of the home is considerably more playful in form and articulation than its stoic front, contributing to Lawrence Park Residence as an architecture of juxtaposition and contrast.

Architect: StudioAC
Location: Toronto, Canada
Year: 2023
Team: Mo Soroor, Jennifer Kudlats, Andrew Hill, Sarah Reid
Structural Engineering: Honeycomb 
Construction Management: Whitaker Construction
Photography: Doublespace Photography