Waterloo Duplex

The primary vision for the project was to embody the qualities and fine attention to detail of a custom private home in duplex living. The decision was taken early on to combine a side-by-side plan at the main level with a front-to-back plan at the upper levels. This planning technique affords both units street-facing front doors and back garden access, whilst enjoying the full width of the building for spacious primary suites at the upper floor.

The peaked roof and simple forms echo the more traditional buildings on the street and allow the building to sit quietly in the neighbourhood. Simultaneously the detailing is crisp and contemporary, with a critical focus on long term performance. A recycled wood composite product was selected as the primary cladding material, which offers the warmth and tactility of wood in a durable, low maintenance product. This fluted material was used with a mix of two profiles, adding playful variation and rhythm to the simple shapes of the building.

A lane-accessed garage is treated with the same attention to detail as the main house, to give an attractive backdrop to the rear gardens. With large windows onto the garden, the garages are heated, insulated and wired with the infrastructure to function as a home office or additional living space.

Both homes are designed to connect to both front and rear gardens through large full height glazed openings.The living spaces are continuous with the gardens, and are filled with natural light throughout the day. Daylight is drawn down into the centre of each home via large skylights, over a sculptural steel staircase.

Using a combination of a highly insulated envelope, air tightness, and a heat recovery system, the building exceeds the stringent requirements of the Vancouver Building Bylaw for energy efficiency and Performance.

The landscape design is key to the success of the architecture; a local landscape architect was selected to create modern, casual gardens that shift and evolve through the seasons.