Deco Blanche

Ottawa, Ontario

Located on a quiet street, this Art Deco home with a modern twist features a compact one-storey addition that introduces new living spaces to the existing two-storey heritage structure. Nestled in a park-like environment, the addition extends horizontally across the site, while the original home remains a prominent feature along the streetscape. The new addition, complete with a side entrance and detached garage, is set back from the street and integrated into a newly landscaped front yard. Tucked behind an existing cedar hedge, the addition maintains a low profile from the street, preserving the serene, park-like setting.

The addition includes a new family room, kitchen, and breakfast nook on the main level. Its cube-like massing features 10-foot-high ceilings that open onto a south-facing rear garden, providing expansive views of neighboring landscapes and flooding both new and existing living spaces with natural light. Below, the addition accommodates two bedrooms and a home theatre, with large windows framing views of a sunken landscaped garden at the rear of the site. The connection between the original and new parts of the house is visually striking from the street, designed as an open negative space enclosed in glass and animated vertically by a new stairway.

Landscaping enhancements include framing the existing walk-out patio, installing an in-ground pool, creating sunken gardens, and adding a breezeway that connects the house to the garage. Serving as a central junction, the breezeway facilitates access to the lower rear yard, side entry, new garage, and driveway.

Existing materials are integrated throughout the new design to maintain a cohesive look across the entire project. The addition is proportioned and detailed in a minimalist aesthetic, subtly highlighting the new elements while preserving the quiet elegance of the home.

Year: 2023

Photography: Kevin Belanger

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