COMN?s first built work, Semi Semi, consists of two 1,000-squarefoot semi-detached homes nestled onto a site near Toronto?s Greektown. One serves as the firm?s residence and studio, and the other is used for long-term rental accommodation. Photo by Doublespace Photography
The founders of Toronto-based COMN aimed to make a splash when they set up their firm, choosing as their inaugural project a multiplex they developed for themselves. The so-called ?Semi-Semi? occupies a tight 16-by-78-foot corner lot in Toronto?s east end. Instead of a detached home, Clarissa Nam and Peter McNeil designed two back-to-back units of 1,000-squarefeet each, one of which was to become their own home. Both of the split-level units are massed vertically, allowing each to have its own street-facing entrance. The exterior is a geometrical composition of white stucco over vertical black wood siding, with a middle section in grey concrete panels. Generous windows and perforated aluminum screens allow in natural light. The mirror-image living spaces are situated at opposite ends to allow for acoustic separation. COMN?s first built work, Semi Semi, consists of two 1,000-squarefoot semi-detached homes nestled onto a site near Toronto?s Greektown. One serves as the firm?s residence and studio, and the other is used for long-term rental accommodation. Photo by Doublespace Photography
COMN?s first built work, Semi Semi, consists of two 1,000-squarefoot semi-detached homes nestled onto a site near Toronto?s...