Ravine Residence / Hariri Pontarini Architects

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Text description provided by the architects. Located within a large ravine system in a North Toronto neighbourhood, this private residence not only takes advantage of the surrounding expansive natural vistas, but also creates a close relationship with its immediate environment. Designed to accommodate the integration of life with nature, the external treatment of this house explores a carefully honed language of natural materials, while the slightly curved front façade is carefully sculpted, presenting a solid entity to the street. The house opens to the back, inviting nature to interact with the everyday living of its residents. Accented in earthy tones of French limestone, wood detailing, rift-cut oak and teak windows, this private home is juxtaposed with the natural greenery of the adjacent ravine. The property is, in essence, a two-acre room enclosed by a natural wall of fir trees. Settled within the centre of the site, the two storey house is designed to enhance the views to the two pyramidal oaks and catalpa tree in the front witha silver maple and Japanese maple at the back.