Garden Laneway House

This project was selected as an Honor winner in the 2023 Residential Architect Design Awards, Custom Home / 3,000 Square Feet or Less category.

"I like the material composition and the way [it] came together. [The firm was] thoughtful, but also creative with the juxtaposition of certain materials and elements. It was a nice surprise.” —Tya Winn

in 2019, Toronto demonstrated its embrace of urban densification when it approved the building of so-called laneway suites citywide. Constructed within the backyards of existing homes and set next to public laneways, these free-standing residences offer much-needed rental housing.

Case in point: The new Garden Laneway House, designed by locally based Williamson Williamson. Nestled between a pair of garages, this three-level, four-bedroom unit accommodates a family of five. The tight masonry structure fills the permissible zoning envelope, while rotated bricks lend the façade a liveliness that feels unexpected for a simple structure along a service lane.

The firm’s subtle design touches also enhance the unit’s interior, where the typical public/private program has been inverted. As such, bedrooms, including a plush primary suite with access to a sunken garden, fill the lower levels. Meanwhile, the light-filled, open-concept top floor—complete with a warm, wood-lined ceiling, in keeping with what the designers call the unit’s “upside down” theme—features the combined living room, dining area, and kitchen.

PROJECT CREDITS
Project: Garden Laneway House, Toronto, Ontario.
Architect: Williamson Williamson, Toronto, Ontario. Betsy Williamson; Shane Williamson; Javier Huerta; Dimitra Papantonis; Steven Chen; Nassim Sani
Interior Designer: Suzanne Wilkinson Interiors
Mechanical Engineer: McCallum HVAC Design
Structural Engineer: Atkins + Van Groll, faet lab
Construction Manager: Jeff Wilkinson, Wilkinson Construction Services

MATERIALS AND SOURCES
ICF Wood / steel framing, interior framing and drywall + overall site coordination: Pro-Finish Construction Ltd. (Dean)
Structural Steel Framing supply: Tremonte Mfg, Welding & Ironworks Ltd.
Joists: iSpan Systems
Steel Canopy: Tremonte
Mechanical Equipment: Mitsubishi (heat pump); NTI (boiler); Panasonic (ERV & exhaust fans); Aprilaire (humidification & dehumidification)
Plumbing, radiant heating: Azzure Plumbing & Heating Ltd.
HVAC: DC Air
Electrical: Bedo Electric
Plumbing Fixtures: Grohe; Duravit (supplied by PMF Plumbing); Franke
Juliette railing, ground floor grating: Unitfive Design
Demolition / Excavation: Astro Environmental
Site Services: Dolente Concrete & Drain
Structural Steel Erector: Kein Welding & Fabrication Ltd.
ICF: Nudura (distributor Fastform ICF)
Skylights: Velux Skylights, Dayliter Skylights
Roofing: Dominion Roofing
Controls: Dair Mechanical Services
Wood framing & materials: Rona
Spray Foam: Michelis Spray Foam Insulation
Exterior siding, exterior decking, fencing: Pro-Finish Construction Ltd.
Brick supply: Belden Belcrest 500 (through Mason’s Masonry)
Brick Installer: Magnum Masonry
Yakisugi burnt cedar siding: Reese Madison & Co. (distributor)
Windows: Torp Windows (supplied by Kastrup)
Soft Landscaping: Woodhill Gardens
Hard landscaping: Sitescape; Strongbase
Exterior lighting & irrigation: Green Island Irrigation
Hot Tub: Canadian Hot Tubs Inc.
Outdoor fireplace: Paoloform
Rooftop patio furniture: Gloster
Rooftop patio cabinets: NewAge Products
Driveway heating: Azzure Plumbing
Kitchen and vanity cabinets: Dekla (Scavolini)
Custom millwork: Ell-Rod Holdings Inc.
Concrete Floor Polishing: Elemental Flooring
Wood Ceiling: Torly’s Supersolid 5 Crofton Oak
Marble Backsplash: Blue Roma (Ciot)
Countertops: Caesarstone
Marble / countertop installer: Marble & Marble Ltd.
Tile: Kerlite Pietra D’Iseo (Olympia Tile)
Tile installer: Mega City Tiling
Stairs & Railings: Royal Oak Railing & Stair Ltd.
Lighting: Vibia; Louis Poulsen; Lutron; Kuzco; Lumenwerx (all distributed by Salex)
Appliances: Miele; Panasonic; LG
Audio / Video / Security: Audio One
Interior Metalwork: UnitFive Design
Window Coverings: Sun-Brite Drapery
Furniture: Flexform (Ital Interiors); Herman Miller; Ethnicraft; MIDJ; West Contract Furniture
Fireplace: Regency Fireplace Products (supplied by Design in Motion)
Painting: Rozafa Painting / Toronto Refurbishing Ltd.
Shower doors & enclosures: Metropolitan Home Products
Hardware: Trillium Hardware
Fire-rated window: Citywide Door & Hardware
Kitchen outlets: Bocce