MODERNest homes are clad with alternating horizontal and vertical pine panels, here adapted to House 3?s street elevation.
PROJECT MODERNest Houses 1-4, Toronto, Ontario
ARCHITECT Kyra Clarkson Architect
TEXT Gabriel Fain
PHOTOS Steven Evans Photography, unless otherwise noted
Over the past decade, Toronto has experienced an incredible housing boom fuelled by millennials investing in the downtown real estate market. As condo units become smaller and home renovations too complicated, an increasing number of young families with financial means have opted for new builds on infill sites located in well-established neighbourhoods.
A vocabulary of repeatable elements was established in House 1, including open-riser stairs flanked by a glass wall. Situating itself within this context is the company MODERNest?led by architect Kyra Clarkson with the support of her partner, planner Christopher Glaisek. Clarkson and Glaisek have so far built four exceptionally crafted houses. Moreover, they?ve also explored the potential for a new type of architectural practice and development model, and pushed the boundaries of the typical Toronto house.
Like all of the houses in the MODERNest series, House 4 includes a skylight over the main stair.
MODERNest is unusual in Toronto in that it?s a hybrid between a development and architecture firm. Clarkson started the company after noticing the limited choices in the market for contemporary homes. The idea, she says, is to provide completed houses ...