Harbord Village Laneway House

Harbord Village Laneway House transforms an existing concrete block garage into a two-level home of 1,020 square feet. The long-term vision is that of a retirement home, but for now the laneway house will serve as an income suite. When the time comes, our clients will move into the laneway house and rent out the main house for income.

The design maximises every usable space of the narrow 4.9m-wide property with a cost-effective design and straightforward systems. Due to the small space available, the project eliminates on-site vehicle parking and instead provides secure bicycle parking.

The pre-existing garage was home to rooftop solar panels that are re-implemented in the new design. The panels are linked to the main house and will continue contributing to the property’s net-metering.

This project was expertly built by H. Burke Custom Builders.

Each level of Harbord Village Laneway House is 510 square feet, oriented in a long and narrow east-west floor plan. The north and south sides of the laneway house are right on the property line, so windows and doors are limited to the east and west sides of the building. A balance was found between maximising the amount of glazing allowed while still providing privacy for the occupants, using frosted glass where appropriate.

To optimize living space, the narrow design uses a single-loaded layout. At ground level, this comes to life with the entire south wall loaded with function: entrance closets at the west-facing laneway end, full kitchen in the middle, and living room storage at the east-facing garden end. On the north side is an entrance bench and powder room, dining table with built-in banquet in front of the stairs, under-stair storage, and a living room with view and access to the garden.

The stairs are daylit by a skylight, and the top landing brings you to a functional hallway. On the laneway side is the primary bedroom with built-in closets; in the middle are a full bathroom and a laundry/mechanical room; and on the other side is a den/guest room overlooking the garden.

Due to by-law requirements aimed at preserving light access and view to the backyard and main house, the second floor has an angular plane wall, which chamfers the upper corner of the building on the garden side. To make best use of the den space there, and to have as much glazing as possible, the design uses Velux roof windows. They hinge at the top, and when open they act like makeshift dormers overlooking the garden, providing extra space underneath to walk right up to the angled rear wall for maximum view, light, and fresh air.