10° of Seperation House / Atelier RZLBD

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Responding to these two characteristics of the site, the house, assuming its maximum footprint as a square, is divided into two equal, 16m x 8m rectangles, each positioned perpendicularly to a point in the curved front lot line, resulting in a rotation of a 10° angle. The interstitial space between the two rectangles caused by the rotation, the "wedge" as it is termed, connects the two rectangular volumes as a grand hallway on all three floors. Materials express this spatial concept straightforwardly. Handmade brick, which is thinner and longer than a typical brick, is used to finish the exterior walls of the two rectangular volumes. A more earthy, natural, and dark color is chosen so that the buildings can blend with its rich forest, especially during winter. Dark stucco and dark bronze anodized aluminum cladding are used for the wedge and the appendix respectively, to complement and give attention to the brick volumes. Inside, the floor of the wedge is finished with large terrazzo tiles, each cut into a trapezium in order to fit into a trapezoidal shape of the floor. It allows one to experience, and literally stand on, the 10° angle rotation within the house as well as to demarcate the two rectangular floors on both sides, which are finished in white oak hardwood.The rear yard is designed as a compound that celebrates the beautiful scenery of the forest hill. Respecting the proposed 6m setback from the stable toe of the slope, concrete decks, platforms, retaining walls, a feature tree, a cabana, and a swimming pool encircle a large green area in the middle. The cabana, finished in the same dark brick, directly faces the forest hill and the yard on the same axis. In the front yard, near the main entry walkway is erected a 4' x 4' stone slab above grade, cut into a 10° right triangle in plan, which is an extension of the wedge of the building. This freestanding stone is a prelude to what lies ahead inside the house. As a totem for the house, the name of the project, 10° of Separation, is chiseled on the stone surface.The project features many exterior and interior designs and architectural details. Particularly, the U-shaped staircase is designed to express and celebrate the 10° angle rotation, by centering the two staircase flights to different rectangular volumes. The trapezoidal skylight is placed at the top of the staircase shaft, bringing natural light all the way down to the basement through the central void. On the ground floor, the third step of the staircase transforms into a built-in bench, curved along the staircase wall, which acts as a waiting room between the main entry and the home office. On the outside, all the windows on the two rectangular volumes are recessed over 2' and the main entry over 6'. By grouping multiple windows into four massive, recessed openings, scaled to the buildings rather than a human body, the sun casts large, sharp, and uninterrupted light and shadow on the building surfaces, engaging in an intimate conversation with the building. The house exudes a sublime presence, resisting a typical image of a house as represented in the area yet surrendering to the natural environment.Text description provided by the architects.Located in one of the most affluent neighborhoods inToronto, the Hoggs Hollow, 10° of Separation is a simple, rational, and ethical response to the existing geographical context and nature of the site, as well as the client's needs for a retirement home.The site exhibited two major complexities. First, the property lot was shaped as an irregular polygon, with a curved front lot line running along the curved street. In such a haphazard shape of a lot, the zoning by-laws such as front yard setback and building length were determined by the curved front lot line, which imposed a curved building footprint. Second, the steep forest hill was located at the northeast corner of the lot, which imposed setbacks from the regional flood line and the stable toe of the slope, confirmed by TRCA (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority). This unusual landscape dictated the particular orientation and arrangement of the building and the rear yard.