STUDIO Z OWNER AND ARCHITECT ZUZANNA KRYKORKA DESIGNED AND OVERSAW CONSTRUCTION ON THIS LANEWAY HOUSE FOR HER PARKDALE TORONTO PROPERTY.

UNIQUE FOR A LANEWAY HOUSE, THE HOUSE HAS WINDOWS ON ALL SIDES, BRINGING IN AN ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL LIGHT WHILE ALSO INTERACTING WITH THE LIFE OF A CITY LANEWAY.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS FOLLOW PASSIVE HOUSE PRINCIPLES. THE LARGE WINDOW AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS—FRAMING A VIEW OF THE SKY—IS A FEATURE REFERRED TO AS “THE OCULUS.” BY NIGHT, THE OCULUS GLOWS WARMLY FROM THE OUTSIDE, LIKE A STREETLAMP FOR THE LANEWAY, WHILE DURING THE DAY IT CAN BE OPENED SO AS TO FUNCTION AS A COOLING SHAFT. HEATING IS PROVIDED BY IN-FLOOR HYDRONIC RADIANT ON BOTH FLOORS. A HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER PROVIDES DOMESTIC HOT WATER. MEANWHILE, DENSE-PACK CELLULOSE INSULATION RETAINS THIS HEAT DURING THE WINTER AND MINIMIZES THE NEED FOR AIR-CONDITIONING IN THE SUMMER.

THE LANEWAY HOUSE SITS COMFORTABLY AMONG THE MANY GARAGES OF THIS PARKDALE LANE. WITH ITS STEEL ROOF, WOOD SIDING, AND DARK ROBUST EXTERIOR, IT WEARS ITS TORONTO GARAGE VERNACULAR PROUDLY, AN ACTIVE PART OF THE LANEWAY URBAN ENVIRONMENT.