A minimal addition clad in blue siding gives an usual presence to architect Joey Giaimo?s family home in suburban Mississauga. Photo by doublespace photography
PROJECT South House, Mississauga, Ontario
ARCHITECT Giaimo
PHOTOS doublespace photography
As you travel down Third Street in Lakeview, Mississauga?a neighbourhood just west of Toronto?a monolithic volume on a corner lot stands out for being unlike anything else in the suburban residential area. Neighbours have nicknamed it ?the blue house,? and from certain angles, the blue-faced block looks like an entirely new construction, rather than an addition to an existing home. It has no windows and minimal details. An inset cedar door and an exaggerated scupper are the only hints of the spaces on the other side of the punchy metal siding. Architect and homeowner Joey Giaimo admits the design doesn?t fit within a familiar mold: ?It confuses people a bit.? The rectangular form is nonetheless proportioned to mediate between the bungalows next door and two three-storey residential buildings across the street; the latter help fill a noticeable gap in multi-family housing. Beyond the blue, you can catch glimpses of a volume tucked behind, suggesting there is more than immediately meets the eye.
Giaimo?s architectural practice favours working with existing conditions. In his work for clients, as well as on his own home, he resists a recurring process: ?the default to buy a property, tear it down, and build from scratch.? Glancing...