Year-Round Residence | Christie Beach, Ontario | Canada | Altius Architecture

Set on the south shore of Georgian Bay, this residence seeks to harmonize with its surrounding landscape with minimal environmental impact, while accommodating the diverse needs of four generations of occupants.
Integration with the site is achieved by setting the building low and shifting floor and roof planes so that it becomes embedded into the landscape.
As the elevations shift between the deck, loft, upper patio, green roof and floor levels, intimate moments are created as each space unfolds distinctly into the external environment.

The elevation of the reflecting pool is also set specifically to create an effect of seamlessly extending Georgian Bay to the house, blurring the lines between building and landscape Material choice is also significant in addressing the issues of site responsiveness, sustainability and for comfort.
The rich wood within the interior spaces bring warmth in winter while the rich red cedar and cherry woods intensify the vibrant green of the surrounding forest in summer.
The consistent palette of cedar soffits and ceiling cladding, window and doorframes seamlessly transition between the interior and exterior spaces.
The exterior Ipe naturally blends with the surrounding rock and soil, becoming a geometric topography that extends its contemporary aesthetic into the natural environment.
Flanked by hard edges on the east and west, the building maintains privacy from neighbours while emphasizing the views to the inner courtyard.
The organization of the building is broken down into zones; the main floor is divided between the public/living area and service while upstairs there are the two wings – one for the master suite and the other for the guest wing to accommodate extended family.
These spaces are unified by a central courtyard which acts as the hub of the house which gives access to all main spaces on the ground floor.....more

Cottage | Apsley, Haliburton Highlands East, Ontario | Canada | Altius Architecture

This project continues the Southern Ontario tradition of cottaging, while pushing the typology beyond one of occasional use into a year round dwelling.
The home immerses itself in the surroundings, drawing from the beauty of the entire site, in addition to the powerful focus of the lake.
Clean, modern spaces, rich in material and texture, in concert with a solid sustainable foundation results in enduring architecture.
The side-split massing integrates naturally into the site; conforming to a subtle shift in the underlying Canadian Shield and minimizing the overall presence of the building on the site.
The efficient steel and engineered wood structure allows a delicate glazed skin to wrap the main volume, emphasized by a simple roof plane that connects the main program elements.....more

Cliff House | Muskoka Lakes, Ontario | Canada | Altius Architecture

Set on a rock formation overlooking a spectacular lake, the Cliff House seeks to enhance the extraordinary surroundings through the thoughtful integration of building elements with the natural assets of the site and terrain.
The program called for intimate spaces carefully tuned to the unique views, light, and breezes of the site.
Self-sufficiency was a key client mandate and the project is completely off-grid. The dwelling emerges form the cliff and rests on a base crafted from local granite.
A tall central void acts as an anchor that circulates movement, light and air into living spaces that pinwheel and extend into the landscape.
Balancing the heavy mass of two interior fireplace cores; cantilevered volumes, flying roofs and floor-to-ceiling glass achieve a lightness of form and work to draw the lake into each interior space.
Finely crafted materials, including hand-hewn stonework, wood ceilings, and structural board-formed concrete walls, define the residence and celebrate the skilled contributions of all tradespeople involved.
Living lightly on the site was important to the owners and the architects were given a strong mandate for sustainability.
As a retreat for the family, the desire to become completely self-sufficient and independent from external infrastructure became critical to the design of this off-grid residence.
The design achieves this aim by combining passive and active systems.
Sustainable design in this case is not divorced from the experiential qualities of the dwelling but enhances the unification of building and landscape.
This design implements a passive gain and solar mass strategy that takes advantage of the sun’s daily passage and the movement of air in different seasons. In summer, solar shading limits heat gain while operable windows are orientated to take advantage of natural ventilation.
Operable windows in the vertical circulation space are create a stack effect to vent hot, stale air above and draw cool, fresh air in below.
Green roofs mediate temperatures and control runoff while connecting the building foreground with the distant landscape.
Optimized glazing and solar orientation in conjunction with the thermal mass of concrete slabs and stone walls forms the basis of the heating system.
A high performance envelope and super-insulated glass work to limit unfavorable heat loss and gains all year-round.
These passive strategies reduce energy loads and augment comfort so that the demands on active systems are minimized.
Two contra-flow masonry heaters (ultra clean burning) in the fireplace cores take full advantage of abundant biomass available on site for supplemental heat.
An array of evacuated tube solar collectors use the sun’s energy to heat water that circulates through 10 thermal storage tanks.
This massive store of energy supplies hydronic radiant floor heating and provides domestic hot water.
A series of photovoltaic panels and battery bank provide the building with electricity. Electrical loads have been carefully managed and are minimized through the use of energy efficient appliances and LED and compact fluorescent lighting.....more

Single Family Home | The Ellis Park House | Toronto | Altius Architecture

4,300 sf. Single Family Home. Toronto, Ontario. Completed 2006.

The Ellis Park House was conceived as a contemporary ecological home in Toronto’s vibrant Bloor West Village neighbourhood.
Constructed on an overgrown infill site just steps to Bloor Street the house is earth sheltered into a hillside and enjoys spectacular vistas over High Park.
The holistic and integrated approach to sustainable design results in a bold modern house with exceptional green features.
Passive strategies shape the design and greatly reduce the energy loads while advanced active systems efficiently address what little loads remain.
The Ellis Park House exemplifies residential architecture that is responsive to its site, its urban context, the contemporary lifestyles of its occupants and their desire to minimize their environmental impact.
The home was constructed on an overgrown infill site, just steps from Bloor Street, that was considered unbuildable because of its 45 slope and shallow depth.
Where others saw obstacles, the design team saw potential for an earth sheltered home, ideally sited in an urban context with good solar orientation and exceptional vistas over Toronto’s High Park.........more