Transforming Tradition
ZN House
Zn House
M
+tongtong Transforms Traditional Toronto House into Tasteful Modern
Home that Honors East-end Neighborhood
ultidisciplinary
design studio
+tongtong
recently
completed a
renovation and addition to
a traditional Victorian house
in Toronto. The house was
transformed into an open and
bright modern home through a
series of strategic moves and
incisions.
The specifications were to
build a modern family home
that expands the area of
livable space while remaining
true to the vernacular of the
neighborhood.
This challenge was met with
an emphasis on natural
materials and light. Inspired
by rural living and the original
build date of the home,
industrial materials accentuate
re-imagined architectural
qualities in an unmistakable
contemporary space.
As for +tongtong principal John
Tong’s favourite element of the
house, “I really embrace the
slot between the two floors. It
turns the 2nd floor hallway into
a bridge that connects all of the
floors. This is key to bringing
light down to the first floor.”
On the 3rd floor, the entire
gable has been replaced with
an expansive triangular glass
window affording views of the
neighbourhood and downtown
skyline in the distance. A
custom-made triangular blind
shades the window and retracts
into a millwork unit when not
in use.
In the kitchen, an original
window at the side of the house
was reconfigured proportionally
to retain its original breadth.
Grey and black zinc used
throughout both the exterior
and interior of the home is a
material that blends traditional
aspects with the new
contemporary scheme. Inside, a
vertical shaft brings light from
large skylights down 3 floors
illuminating the ground floor
while animating a zinc wall and
ceiling above the kitchen.
16