In Toronto, a Pin Art–Esque Brick Facade Makes an Impression on the Neighborhood

December 09, 2023

In Toronto, a Pin Art–Esque Brick Facade Makes an Impression on the Neighborhood

The home’s animated exterior undulates in functional ways, too: expanding to shade the entry, and receding around the second-floor window to maximize light.

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Project Details:

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Architect: Partisans / @partisansarchitecture

Footprint: 5,220 square feet

Builder: Duffy & Associates

Structural Engineer: Moses Structural Engineers

Interior Design: Patti Rosati Interiors / @pattirosati

Mason: Finbarr Sheehan

Masonry Structural Engineer: Picco Engineering

Photographer: Doublespace Photography / @2spacephoto

From the Architect: "Canvas House subtly stands apart within its neighborhood of Forest Hill in Toronto. Operating as both a house and a vessel for the owner’s contemporary art collection, Canvas House embodies the revered pieces of art it contains through an innovative sculptural façade. This square house—surrounded by Georgian homes—exhibits a monochromatic undulating brick envelope that differs from its surrounding context’s symmetrical and conventional residences. The rhythmic façade responds to function by swelling outward to form an overhang above the door and receding to allow light around the second-floor skylight. The movement within the masonry is unscripted yet arranged like the motions of a theater drape, which is an ode to the client’s background in theater production.

"By prioritizing the possibilities of the resonant form of bricks, Canvas House is organic and orderly, experimenting with materiality and the latest techniques in masonry. The facade’s unmodulated pattern, formed by a repeating unit of five bricks, is inspired by Larry Poons’s early works. Optics are accomplished by pairing the single-colored brick with individually improvised corbel variations, allowing the design to showcase the brick's ability to encapsulate the elegance of a Georgian home without relying on traditional forms.

"Inside, the interplay of light and shadow creates a sense of depth. The organicism of the exterior façade finds its way inside through the gentle curvature of walls that blend seamlessly with the ceilings and architectural fixtures. The door handles and handrails, for example, are carved from the wall, producing an interior dimensionality emphasized by the careful integration of light. This results in a calm, airy, contemplative interior, an apt home for a captivating contemporary art collection."