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In Toronto’s Forest Hill neighbourhood, the Canvas House stands out as a distinct structure with its sculptural facade, serving as both a residence and a curated space for a contemporary art collection.
Spanning 485 m2 (5,220 sf), the Canvas House, designed by PARTISANS, stands out with its sculptural facade, offering a departure from the traditional aesthetics of its Georgian neighbours. The monochromatic undulating brick envelope, a nod to the client’s background in theatre production, captures the unscripted yet orchestrated motions of a theatre curtain. The facade’s rhythmic dance serves a dual purpose, forming an overhang above the entrance and receding to embrace natural light around the second-floor skylight.
The expressive potential of bricks is fully explored in the design, relying on organic and orderly design principles. The facade, featuring a pattern derived from the American painter Larry Poons’ early works, showcases the brick’s ability to capture the elegance of a Georgian home while deviating from conventional forms. The optics come alive by bringing together the single-coloured brick with individually improvised corbel variations.
Inside the Canvas House, light and shadow play to create a sense of depth. The organic design of the exterior continues indoors, with gently curved walls blending with ceilings and architectural fixtures. Door handles and handrails, carved from the walls, add to the interior’s dimensionality, enhanced by lighting. The result is a serene, spacious, and contemplative atmosphere.
