In Toronto’s postwar neighbourhoods, modest bungalows are being replaced by faux-historical mansions. Standing in bold contrast is Shift House by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design. An unapologetically modern insertion, Shift House features a stepped façade defined by projecting and retracting volumes, highlighted by contrasting cladding to emphasize the volumetric gestures. Western red cedar fills the void left by retracted volumes, providing a striking foil to the charcoal gray exterior. Meanwhile, the gently sloping roof extends from front to back, maintaining a low datum line on the street as it forms a comparatively horizontal expression.

Shift House’s 300-square-meters are spread over two storeys and, through strategic spatial arrangements, responds to the family’s desire for a meaningful connection with the outdoors. The layout of the house consists of an interior grid of 6 staggered volumes, shifted in and out to shape the exterior envelope. The resulting sculpted façade with its interplay of solids and voids creates opportunities for greater light transmission, additional views, and access to outdoor space at multiple levels through corner windows, generous roof overhangs, green roofs, and balconies on the second floor.

Permeability and openness are dominant design themes throughout the house. The porosity of the front façade is a friendly gesture to the street, and a glazed rear elevation connects the family to the surrounding environment, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior space. The rear facade's protruding and extending volumes form sheltered and covered zones, delineating outdoor areas with differing character. A wide deck across the back of the house effectively doubles the living/dining area in temperate months, becoming a generous outdoor room for dining, reading and relaxation. On the interior adjacent to the backyard, a double-height atrium with a fully-glazed wall provides an expansive view of the neighbourhood’s mature trees, inviting natural light deep into the interior and magnifying the grandeur of this – in truth – modest space. Central to the atrium is a sculptural staircase defined by a solid balustrade of white oak and Baltic birch. Its scissor configuration forms a compelling and dynamic three-dimensional geometric composition, animated by the procession of figures as they ascend and descend between the different levels of the house. The monolithic stair guard's diagonal wood grain imparts a sense of craftsmanship while also evoking a feeling of movement and energy.

Overlap and the blurring of boundaries continues throughout. Just as the exterior’s varied planes hint at internal programmatic changes, the volumetric shifts within the house are further expressed by changes in ceiling height, material, and colour at the thresholds, producing a heightened awareness of these intentional shifts. In the double height space, projecting second storey bedrooms create recessed areas for the kitchen and living room below, while a wood-clad ceiling treatment extends from the staircase to the foyer, defining the edge of one of the internal volumes. Walls painted in shades of grey-blue serve as further defining elements against the white walls and oak flooring.

The house employs many sustainable systems. Strategically placed operable windows maximize passive cooling and natural ventilation, while a small pump powers the radiant in-floor heating system. Photovoltaic panels on the roof provide an additional source of electricity while LED light fixtures and an efficient high-velocity cooling system reduce electricity demand. Green roofs and robust landscaping minimize rainwater run-off, and triple glazing and low-E coatings reduce both heat gain and loss. Visually impactful, Shift House is also environmentally responsible.

Team:

Architecture / Interior Design / Landscape Design: Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
General Contractor: DDF Contracting Ltd.
Structural Engineer: Blackwell Structural Engineers
Design team: Heather Dubbeldam, Marisa Maggs, Oliver Dang, Scott Sampson

Photography: Shai Gil, Riley Snelling

Materials Used:

SUSTAINABLE FEATURES
In-floor radiant heating
High velocity cooling with HRV system
Low flow plumbing fixtures
High efficiency LED lighting
Photovoltaic panels on the roof
High performance insulation
Airtight building envelope
Hard-wearing & low-VOC materials
Low-e coatings on windows
Passive and natural ventilation - Operable windows and skylights for natural ventilation
Green roofs

SOURCES
EXTERIOR
Exterior Wood Siding: Western Red Cedar boards, custom milled, c/w Sansin sealer
Exterior Stucco: Durrock Durabond Sandcoat 1.0
Exterior Roof: Agway, AR25 standing seam metal roof, Charcoal
Exterior Soffit: HardieSoffit, Iron Grey
Aluminum Windows and Doors: Bigfoot Doors

FINISHES
WOOD FLOORING
Moncer Classic Series Engineered plank, White oak, white stain

RUBBER FLOORING
Basement: 913 Spartus Tuflex Resilient Rubber Flooring

TILE
Basement Bathroom: EVP Steel Grey, Saltillo
Vestibule Floor: Basaltina naturale, Stone Tile
Powder Room: Artech Mosaico Grigio, Olympia Tile
Mudroom Floor: EVP Steel Grey, Saltillo
Principal Ensuite Bathroom: Ageless, Pure White, matte, and Nova Arquitectura, Cristal Blue, Stone Tile
Bathroom 2: Projetto Pavimenti, Nebbia mat, Stone Tile
Laundry Room Floor: Belvedere Mousse Matte, Stone Tile

PLUMBING FIXTURES – all from Taps
TOTO Ultra Max toilet
Starck 3 Duravit wall-hung toilet
Geberit Sigma 20 actuator panel
Cabano Fusion faucet
Newform J-One faucet
Grohe Concetto Single Lever faucet
Blanco Torre Soap Dispenser
Blanco Diamond sink
Cabano Volex shower head & arm
Cabano Volero hand shower & controls
Cabano Tech, Shower head & arm
Mirolin Raven tub
Blanco Maestro II faucet
Blanco Practika Utility sink

APPLIANCES & EQUIPMENT
Kitchen Oven: Bosch Benchmark
Kitchen Speed oven: Bosch Benchmark microwave oven
Kitchen Fridge/Freezer: Jenn Air
Kitchen Cooktop: Thermador 
Kitchen Cooktop Hood: Bosch Box Canopy stainless steel chimney hood
Kitchen Wine fridge: Marvel Professional wine cellar
Kitchen Dishwasher: Bosch 800 Series

MILLWORK 
Lakeland Interiors
Kobis Cabinets Ltd.

FURNISHINGS
Bensen Neo300 living room sofa (Kiosk)
Living room chair – Gus Modern Truss chair
Concrete living room coffee table  - Style Garage
Duca 160 Dining table - Calligaris
Muuto Visu dining chairs - Urban Mode
Calligaris bar stools
Shelter Serra queen bed in walnut 
Christopher Solar Design Slipper chair

LIGHTING
Dining Room: Propellor Studio Meridian 36 pendant, birch w/ orange interior - Propellor Design
Powder Room: Muuto E27 Socket Lamp in blue - Urban Mode
Kitchen: Muuto Unfold Pendant c/w canopies, grey, light grey, blue - Urban Mode
Living Room: Eetu Floor Lamp - EQ3
Principal B¬edroom: George Nelson Crisscross Saucer Pendant Lamp - Quasi Modo
Ensuite Bathroom: Rezek Square Strip sconce  - Artemide
Bathroom 1: Astro Polermo in polished chrome finish - Eurolite
Bedroom 1: IKEA PS 2014 - IKEA
Upper Hallway: Liam Pendant in white - Urban Mode

SOLID SURFACES
Stone Installed by CB Marble; Corian installed by Surface1
Powder Room countertop: Caesarstone 1141, Pure White
Family Room fireplace surround: Coby Ebony Slate, ¾” thick, honed
Kitchen Countertop, cooktop, & island: Caesarstone 4120, Raven
Ensuite Bathroom countertop & sink, Laundry room countertop: Corian, Glacier White
Bathroom 1 countertop, sink, & bath surround: Corian, Glacier White