The Greektown Laneway Suite is the perfect balance between function, comfort and aesthetic value. The owners of this corner lot engaged our team to develop a 1050 square-foot 2-storey proposal that would house a ground floor garage and workshop, with a bright and spacious single bedroom suite above. Situated abutting a street, the proposal leverages three sides of exposure by justifying living space toward the street and laneway while privatizing the rear yard with an elegant, minimal facade.
As homeowners with young children, privacy, separation and noise control were all primary concerns in the project program. The tenant entry is situated at the rear of the lot, accessed via the laneway, while large glazed doors allow the ground floor hobby space to expand into the rear yard for the homeowner. The second floor unit perforates the facade with large windows, strategically situated to promote passive ventilation, solar heat gains and frame views to the surrounding. The building is clad in treated wood lap siding, complimented by castellated wood panels and trim to provide a warm tones to an otherwise dark volume.
This project demonstrates how to leverage a lot’s unique characteristics through thoughtful planning and close collaboration with the homeowners to identify programmatic priorities and weigh these against the financial, physical and aesthetic repercussions of each.