In a post-pandemic environment, the homeowners, a professional couple, experienced changing lifestyles that led to several needs and wants. They needed a much better work from home office away from their basement to suite their now hybrid jobs several days a week. They needed a new garage to replace a crumbling shed dating from the 1920s. Avid road-warrior bicycle enthusiasts, they wanted a bike repair workbench area. They wanted space to store their children’s scooters and various household items, host birthday parties and barbeques, have a better backyard garden and outdoor seating area.
One half of the homeowner couple, an architect at a large Toronto firm and parent of young kids, had scant time with which to design and oversee the project, but still weighed in with design commentary much more than the average client. JC-A helped coalesce these varied goals into an elegant design vision with thorough details and attention to materials. We helped take the project through the design phase and municipal approvals and through the construction phase. It was a wonderful collaboration.
A larger implication for this project is that a 'home occupation' use is currently prohibited in Toronto's Zoning By-Law. We had to apply to the Committee of Adjustment to allow for a professional home office use which, in a post-pandemic world, is very desirable and pragmatic for many of us.
In a post-pandemic environment, the homeowners, a professional couple, experienced changing lifestyles that led to several needs and wants. They needed a much better work from home office away from their basement to suite their now hybrid jobs several days a week. They needed a new garage to replace a crumbling shed dating from the 1920s. Avid road-warrior bicycle enthusiasts, they wanted a bike repair workbench area. They wanted spaces to store their children’s scooters and various household items, host birthday parties and barbeques, have a better backyard garden and outdoor seating area.
Can you describe the design process and how the space accommodates multiple functions like a home office, garage, and bike repair workshop?
The design process involved many versions with lots of back-and-forth dialogue between homeowner and architect to get to the most satisfactory solution for the homeowners.
The home office is in a dedicated room with a built-in desk with built-in shelving, hard-wire internet connection and view to a lovely backyard garden and the main house beyond.
The bike repair workshop consists of a stainless steel workbench with integrated mop sink and metal tool cabinet. A space-rail hanging bike-rack is installed over the workbench. Shelving is suspended over the folding glass doors and garage doors for bike helmets and other items.
The garage is equipped with an electric vehicle charger and wifi-enable door opener.
Users love the project, and the two homeowners are fighting over who gets to use the office in their weekly schedules.
Neighbours have offered wonderful compliments. One neighbour has inquired about the project with a potential eye to doing something similar.
The biggest challenge was simply that the home occupation office use was not allowed in the Toronto Zoning By-Law as-of-right. We had to seek approval at the Committee of Adjustment through a hearing.
Team:
Architects: Jon Cummings Architecture
Photographer: Scott Norsworthy
