Small Apartments were allowed on residential lots on Major Streets in Toronto.

The City of Toronto is now allowing “small apartment buildings” - up to 6-storeys and 60-units - for residential-zoned lots on streets categorized as “Major Streets”. Up to 3 existing parcels can be combined to build a “small apartment building”. Parcel sizes and their relationship to the street and the neighbourhood varies greatly throughout the city. Click through the “ILCHUNO” chart below to see sample designs that combine modular shapes to respond to different lot sizes and orientations.

Three detailed building designs were conceived as part of a system.

Apartment buildings can take many forms depending on stair types, hallway configurations, unit size, unit distribution, and many other factors. The shape of buildings is often governed by maximizing rentable floor area and typically results in a ‘bar’ or ‘cube’ shape building. However, shapes other than ‘bars’ can be equally efficient while providing opportunities for new kinds of balconies, friendly corridors, common areas, and better access to natural light and ventilation.

This is a chart of potential building types.

Using the shapes of 7 letters - I L C H U N O - we have designed small apartment buildings that offer the density needed for affodability while providing variety in the units and spaces they offer and how they respond to their site conditions. Click through to see sample designs!