Canadian Family Home With A Garden In Its Basement
While most residences have their basements working as gyms or offices, this one uses it as a garden. Sure, the idea is unusual and unconventional but Alva Roy Architects are often pushing the boundaries between architecture and interior design.
The architects’ over 15 years of experience has taught them that few things are truly impossible. They’re constantly developing new spatial concepts and coming up with new and interesting designs and ideas for their projects.
The Garden Void House is a single family residence located in Toronto, Canada. It was completed in 2016 and its interior spaces are organized on two levels. Looking at it from the street, nobody would guess what green treasure it hides at its center.
Of course, the house does stand out due to the interesting combination of large and very narrow windows and the contrast of colors which accentuates its architecture and gives each volume a unique identity.
The interior of the house is divided into five bedrooms, a home office, a living space, kitchen and dining area and a garage. But none of these is the focal point of the design. That role is taken on by the interior garden which begins in the basement and goes up through a void at the center of the house.
The lounge area, dining space and the kitchen share an open floor plan with a double-sided fireplace built into the divider. The living area is oriented to the South and features an 8 meter long window which lets lots of natural light into the room while also revealing a nice view. A stylish table with hairpin legs is complemented by vintage chairs with a worn finish.
The staircase that leads upstairs is suspended above the central void, overlooking the internal garden. The upper level houses the private spaces. All five bedrooms are situated here. The clients wanted a clear division between the parents’ room and the bedrooms used by the kids.
As a result, the master bedroom is facing South while the others are oriented to the North. The corner lot placement allows the house to play with these orientations in a practical and pleasant way. The functional organization of the spaces is a defining characteristic of the project.
In addition to being stylish and unexpectedly unique, the house also has a sustainable design. It responds to the local climate and the site in a natural way and it also makes great use of natural ventilation throughout.
The choice of narrow windows is quite interesting. Their role is to offer privacy for this spaces without blocking the light or completely obstructing the views.