Lanehouse

With a bespoke eye and a bold vision to push beyond the status quo, Curated Properties blends a design-heavy team featuring Nivek Remas (its principals also designers at Yabu Pushelburg) and AUDAXarchitecture (The Chase), with the burgeoning Bloordale neighbourhood to create Lanehouse, one of the first residential laneway projects in Toronto. Thoughtfully re-imagining a building with an industrial past, formerly a yarn factory and most recently the site of the Pendell Boiler LTD., Curated Properties – best known for Edition Richmond, BILD’s mid-rise project of the year in 2013 – has created another hit with Lanehouse, a distinct project of 13 loft-houses and three flats at 50 Bartlett Avenue. “We take satisfaction in respecting Toronto’s past by restoring old buildings rather than demolishing and building new ones. With Lanehouse, we’re trying to convey what we anticipate to be the future of Toronto’s development scene—something more conscious and eclectic,” Adam Ochshorn, principal, Curated Properties. Laneway developments are rare and often reserved for architects and those with the resources to identify a site and build custom. Developments for the general public rarely come along, making Lanehouse a particularly uncommon and distinctive project—one unlikely to happen again soon, if at all. Designed by AUDAXarchitecture with the goal of preserving the building’s charm and character, Lanehouse scores a serene space for residences away from the hustle of city living. “There is no project comparable to Lanehouse in Toronto. We’ve designed a centrally located, beautiful residence that has privacy, allure and an unexpected sense of discovery. These are things you won’t find in any other development in the city,” Gianpiero Pugliese, principal, AUDAXarchitecture. Diverging from the typical design of urban lofts, Nivek Remas creates an aesthetic that brings a self-assured currency to the authentic loft look. In the main living areas, natural materials are layered and cut into chevron patterns, developing a twist on basic materials. Original brick is whitewashed and given special treatments to provide a soft yet genuine look. Beautiful stone, reeded glass, brass and iron are used to generate a fresh yet classic design. “The building and its texture and character were our inspiration,” says Kevin Chan of Nivek Remas. “We wanted to bring an edited eye to every detail to create a genuine and seamless living experience that still feels approachable. It’s real. It’s not of the moment but just before.” Expansive 18-foot ceilings draw the eye up and allow natural light in, as do skylights in the master walk-in closet and over the tub in the master bath. Double-height areas transition into intimate feeling rooms, offering surprising and remarkable volumes. Private rooftop terraces are wrapped in custom designed wood enclosures to allow for both privacy and air circulation. “We wanted people to have privacy without sacrificing natural light and an open feel,” says Nivek Remas’ Samer Shaath. “Our goal was to establish an eclectic and elevated aesthetic: functional spaces that are glorious.” Situated in Bloordale, Lanehouse is perfectly located for those wanting peace and quiet while remaining walking distance to destination hangouts and restaurants. Lanehouse is just down the street from The Emerson and Drift Bar and also close by to some of Toronto’s best new restaurants, including Bar Isabel and Bestellen. Browse the Bloordale neighbourhood to discover its arts and culture scene. Mercer Union, an artist-centred platform for contemporary art, is just minutes from your front door. The BIG on Bloor Festival celebrating arts, culture, community and small business, happens every July on Bloor between Lansdowne and Dufferin. “Lanehouse is truly a distinctive project bringing unique housing to downtown. It offers an element of surprise in Toronto’s townhome market,” says Paul Johnston of Unique Urban Homes. “Nestled on a quiet laneway in Bloordale, Lanehouse provides a level of tranquility that is really hard to find in downtown Toronto. It just ‘adds up’—a stunning century-old industrial building, on a quiet street, but steps to mass transit, a ton of amazing independent retailers, restaurants and Dufferin Grove Park… A perfect home and a perfect neighbourhood.”