Nestled in Toronto, douBLe House by Alva Roy Architects artfully merges privacy with openness. Designed for a family of four, the project balances a compact footprint with nine distinct levels, each crafted for purpose and atmosphere. Through thoughtful materiality and spatial layering, Alva Roy’s design creates a refined yet unpretentious residence that responds to the family’s desire for both secluded spaces and abundant natural light.
Materials That Speak to Modern Craft
The douBLe House exterior captures attention with its blend of black handmade bricks, sleek white panels, and Shou Sugi Ban wood cladding. This combination not only exudes a modern, subtle elegance but also highlights how traditional materials can be adapted for contemporary design. The polished black bricks reflect light in unique ways, shifting with the day’s changing sunlight. White panels further enhance this effect, capturing sky tones and subtly shifting hues across the facade.
One of the most visually striking aspects is how materials flow from exterior to interior. The black brick from the front facade continues into the living spaces, tying the indoor-outdoor experience together. The Japanese Shou Sugi Ban wood cladding and corten steel add warmth and texture, balancing the cool, reflective nature of the brickwork and white panels. This strategic mix of materials contributes to a clean yet rich architectural character, with each element serving as both aesthetic and functional.
Creating Space Through Levels
The home’s nine levels form a smooth yet distinct sequence, each with specific roles. While this might sound like a layout puzzle, Alva Roy’s design ensures fluidity by keeping staircases unobtrusive. As a result, the levels gradually reveal themselves, offering new perspectives at each turn. This thoughtful stacking of spaces enables privacy without losing connectivity, ideal for a household seeking separation between communal areas and sleeping quarters.
A double-story void, lined with skylights on the north side, brings in gentle daylight, illuminating interior spaces that showcase the owners’ contemporary art collection. The series of skylights also serves as a consistent light source, enhancing the home’s sense of vertical openness and encouraging upward movement through the spaces. It’s a clever layout choice that balances the desire for seclusion with the home’s airy, light-filled atmosphere.
Blending Indoors and Outdoors
One of douBLe House’s defining features is its seamless integration with the outdoors, particularly in the rear living and dining areas. Expansive floor-to-ceiling glazing opens up views of the lush backyard, where greenery provides a tranquil contrast to the home’s darker brick and wood tones. This intentional openness in the design allows natural light to flow generously into the space throughout the day.
Large sliding patio doors encourage easy movement between indoor and outdoor living areas, creating a single environment that feels part living room, part garden. This blurring of boundaries is further supported by indirect lighting, which softens shadows and provides continuity across indoor and outdoor settings.
Private Yet Open Living Spaces
Alva Roy’s design thoughtfully respects the balance between shared family spaces and private retreats. On the top floor, the principal bedroom is positioned a few steps above two children’s bedrooms, separated by white laminated glass. This subtle layout choice allows the family to stay close yet maintain individual spaces. Meanwhile, the intermediate floor houses an office and a guest room with semi-separate access, providing additional flexibility for daily routines or visitors.
Beyond its layered layout, douBLe House’s interior zones are grounded in calm, visually engaging elements that make for an inviting, serene atmosphere. The high quality of craftsmanship evident throughout enhances this sense of quiet sophistication, reflecting Alva Roy Architects’ commitment to thoughtful, honest design.
In a city as dynamic as Toronto, douBLe House stands out not as a statement of grandeur but as an exploration of layered privacy, warmth, and subtle elegance—an ideal setting for both family life and contemporary art.
