S Apt Prewar 1-Lot — Re-Housing the Yellowbelt

‘I’ Shaped Apartment on One Parcel

‘I’ shaped buildings are narrow and can fit on a single tight lot.

Occupancy and Density:
Total Unit Count: 8 Units
Total Occupancy: 16 Bedrooms
Lot Area: 365 sqm (3,929 sqft)
Soft Landscaping: 66 sqm (707 sqft), 18% of lot

Housing Statistics:
Total Floor Area: 1,073 sqm (11,550 sqft)
1-Bed Units: 2 (1 Barrier-free)
2-Bed Units: 4
3-Bed Units: 2
Parking Spaces: 2 (1 Barrier-free)

ReHousing’s approach to balcony design has kept in mind 3 elements: the functionality of the space proportions, its use throughout the seasons, and avoiding designs that require thermal break. In Small Apartments Case Study 01, units include inset balconies of 3.25m x 2.0m, which are wide enough for a table and chairs.

Inspired by Toronto’s prewar houses and apartments with deep porches that are sometimes enclosed, this interior render shows an experiment with the idea of an enclosed balcony, where glass sliding doors on the exterior perimeter of the balcony allow it to become a sunroom in the winter and expand the living area, but remain an open outdoor space in the summer.

The compact nature of this building required a creative arrangement of two-storey and single-storey apartments in order to provide the desired unit mix, a barrier-free unit, and an outdoor space for each unit. To enhance the entrance for residents, the side yard used for access widens at the main door and creates a small but comfortable space for seating and planting, with windows looking out towards this space from above.

Back to Matrix of Small Appartment Typologies