Project Description
“This project is a restoration, renovation and addition to a 1931 Art Decoinfluenced heritage home in midtown Toronto. The original residence was commissioned by the Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris.” While maintaining the house’s original form almost intact, with the addition of pool, deck and adjacent single-story functions, significant renovations have been made within the structure, refl ecting “the evolution of the single-family residence typology since the 1930s.”
“As with Harris’s artwork, the house uses modern language that is infused with a passion for the local landscape. This project builds upon the spirit of the uniquely Canadian interpretation of the Art Deco style.” The less formal spaces of the contemporary layout “occupy a more central and integrated role … organized around a central fi replace hearth.” The jury commended the architect’s success in fashioning a “breathtaking and superb” modern house, while not losing sight of the original Art Deco feeling.