Working from home during the COVID pandemic over the past two years left these owners “Climbing the Walls”...literally. To accommodate this family's passion for mountaineering, two separate 3-story atriums were created in the new backyard addition. Engineered beams and belay anchors were installed in the ceiling to allow the family to scale the light-filled interior from the ground floor to their third-floor mezzanine. The space was designed as a large volume with a new master bedroom floating within the triple-height space. Exposed plywood clads the new bedroom and distinguishes the ‘floating box' within the loft-like addition. The warm and robust finish provides a warm glow and durable surface as the family scales the walls to take in the impressive views of the Gatineau Hills & Hintonburg Cathedral. The Master Bedroom features a cantilevered balcony that continues the gravity-defying theme while also providing shaded views of the kids climbing the backyard tree.
Functionally, the home adds a new kitchen, living room, laundry, bathroom & 2 bedrooms within the 800 sq. ft addition. To remain within budget, the rough carpentry was kept exposed to express the character of the home. 2x4 studs were used to create a modern guard around the ‘construction grade' stair. Instead of costly hardwood floors, the plywood subfloor was sanded and painted to show off the rugged qualities of the construction. The addition is clad in grey metal and was intended to juxtapose the new space against the original 125-year-old brick house.
By designing the rough carpentry to be left exposed, the project can be refined while staying within budget. The lofty addition is meticulously crafted to capture the scenic views while encouraging the family's love of climbing. By incorporating the FUN in FUNctional, the sky's the limit when working from home.
Team:
Architect: 25:8 Architecture + Urban Design
Photographer: Brendan Burden
