Westminster Residence by Batay-Csorba Architects

Situated on a corner lot within the context of traditional Edwardian gable homes in Toronto's High Park neighborhood, the Westminster residence aims to provide an underlying sense of familiarity and continuity within the archetypal roof form...

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From the architect: Hidden within a steep terracotta roof, the project explores the notion of spatially occupying the underside of the roof, akin to an attic. The compact footprint is counteracted by the oversized gable roof, which produces cathedral-like spaces that volumetrically open to the underside of the steep chapel roof pitch, punctuated by top-lit skylights.

On the main floor, a large, floating covered porch occupies the side yard of the corner lot beneath the heavy cantilevered roof, extending to a private garden. The primary bedroom above expands into a tall roof dormer, overlooking the garden below behind a 20’ tall brise soleil, which shields a private balcony and provides a courtyard feel within the city lot.

The simple project form is a composition of three dark monolithic figures, a low dark brick-clad volume, a heavy triangular stone-clad roof, and tall rectilinear dormers. The heavy roof hovers asymmetrically on top of the first floor, cantilevering the covered carport and side patio and producing an unsettling dynamic between the simple volumes. Similar in size and materiality, the dormers take on diametrically opposite stances in the project, with one grounding the west façade as it meets the ground, and the east dormer inexplicably cantilevered and hovering above the carport.

The material atmosphere is a marriage of Villain’s lair meets light and airy refuge (this was a literal marriage of partner goals). The restrained palette consists of dark stained plain sawn walnut, heavy unfilled travertine, concrete, and dark textural lime wash walls that juxtapose heavily against double height, light-filled soft lime wash walls, wide plank knotted white oak floors, and soft linen drapery and fabrics. The sequence of moving from a compressed cavernous spatial experience to its inverse is narrated as one moves throughout the home.

The main entry to the building is punctuated by a floating ¼” steel projection that acts as a semi-private enclosure and threshold. This intimate space on the exterior of the house extends the dark, compressed interior entry and circulation conditions within.

The exterior palette includes natural materials that will patina gently over time and become one with the low maintenance spreading sedum landscape, from heavy, rough, and textured terracotta roof shingles, to hand pressed brick in a delicate variety of coursing details seen throughout the neighbouring context, vertical hand brushed wood siding and screening, thin powder coated aluminum projections, raw galvanized steel, and a combination of rough and smooth cast in place concrete. This moody palette of textures cast in place concrete pavers accumulate to form the entry steps and retaining walls around a sunken basement courtyard, providing a private and south-facing exterior space off the rec room.

The side yard's acid etched concrete patio is detailed to float above the sloping landscape, and interfaces with the building through a continuous galvanized linear slot drain.

Architect: Batay-Csorba Architects
Location: Toronto, Canada
Year: 2024
Project size: 3,400 sqft
Principal Architects: Jodi Batay-Csorba, Andrew Batay-Csorba
Design Team: Sacha Milojevic, Jacob Henriquez, Myles Bury
Interior Design: Batay-Csorba Architects
Structural: Contact Structural Engineering Inc.
Landscape: Gravenor Landscape Design
Photography: Doublespace Photography