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JOHN BROWN is the editor of theslowhome.com and the founder of the Slow Home Movement. He is a registered architect, real estate broker and Professor of Architecture at the University of Calgary.
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A Solution to Urban Density
Laneway Facade
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Entry From Lane
Dining Room
View to Yard
Skylight in Stairwell
Site Plan
Main Floor Plan
Upper Floor Plan
Section 1
Section 2
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Within the City of Toronto, there is an extensive network of laneways servicing the rear portion of many residential neighbourhoods, and a derelict site within this intense urban condition is the starting point of this 1,350-square-foot single family residence.
The Laneway House sits in stark contrast to its context, and begins with the creation of a concrete garden wall that wraps the property and protects a delicate wooden pavilion within it. The project is also conceived of as a series of interior and exterior gardens and courts. Rich textural materials and pivoting window planes between the primary living and garden spaces within this residence blur the relationship between inside and out. The building works within the constraints of a typical Toronto Victorian lot and house typology, with its narrow width and poor lighting conditions, and attempts to address and transform these given constraints in a delightful way.
The house is of simple basic construction, with concrete block foundations and wood framing. Acrylic stucco and wood finishes are combined on the exterior with windows, door frames and plywood panels of mahogany, and vertical siding of Douglas fir. Interior walls are a combination of exposed concrete block and plaster finish; floors are Jatoba wood and slate.
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We believe that our homes and neighborhoods should be healthy, vibrant places that uplift the spirit and gracefully fit our needs. We call for an end to poor construction, bad design, misleading marketing, unfair lending practices and environmental neglect in the housing industry. We acknowledge our collective responsibility to create CLOSE, SIMPLE, LIGHT places to live that leave a positive legacy for future generations.
provides design focused information that homeowners can use to improve the quality of how and where they live. It takes its name from the slow food movement which arose as a reaction to the processed food industry. The sprawl of cookie cutter housing that surrounds us is like fast food - standardized, homogenous, and wasteful. It contributes to a too fast life that is bad for us, our cities, and the environment. In the same way that slow food raises awareness of the food we eat and how these choices affect our lives, Slow Home empowers you to take more control of your home and improve the quality of how you live while reducing your environmental impact and futureproofing the long term investment value of your home.
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