Heritage with Modern Performance.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Boldera Architects was engaged by a Toronto couple, who decided to sell their urban home and purchase a century farmhouse in Clarksburg, Ontario.
Challenges
The design parameters were to maintain as much as possible of the existing farmhouse, including most of its interior character, while enhancing the overall building performance, using sustainable building methods and materials. Our clients were also interested in exploring the possibility of adding a second story to an existing extension of the building. This new addition should be modern, but not overshadow the original building.
Our design process started with an in-depth exploration and research of the existing building, including exterior wall assemblies and structural integrity.Â
Solution
The proposed design uses the existing exterior walls at grade, adding a layer of continuous insulation and new stone cladding. The second story is finished in charred cedar, which provides a natural and durable finish to the wood.
The ground floor is designed with an open layout, to provide maximum openness and visual connection to the backyard, through a pair of sliding doors. The interior living and dining spaces may be expanded towards an exterior living space, protected from the elements.
The second floor accommodates the remaining program, including the bedrooms, dressing room, and laundry. The design proposal also includes a separate accessory structure to be used as storage and studio space.The proposed strategy was to create a continuous envelope, wrapping the entirety of the existing exterior wall. The existing windows will be replaced by modern profiles with triple-glazed insulated glass units, and the existing roof will be properly insulated.
The new extension will be built using an R-30 wall and R-50 roof assembly. On the ground floor, there will be a new laundry room, bathroom, and closet. On the second floor, a new principal bedroom with two individual walk-in closets and an ensuite.
The selected material for the exterior will be cedar shakes to create a traditional approach to the modern expression of the building. This will also help with blending the contemporary building with the traditional farmhouse.
The existing accessory structure will be replaced by an identical building, containing a double-height home office above the garage, with extraordinary views of the natural landscape surrounding the site.
Project Facts
Project Year: 2023
Location: Clarksburg, Ontario
Client: Maris Lush & Peter Bassin
Status: Under Construction
Project Team
Architect: Boldera Architects Inc.
Structural: Honeycomb Group
MEP: McCallum HVAC
Builder: Mazenga Building Group
We wanted to upgrade this century-old farmhouse without changing it's character.
We worked closely with our clients to find a solution that maintained most of the existing structure intact, adding a modern addition, and upgrading the overall energy-performance to a very high standard.
Eric rodrigues
architect
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