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shadow house – sensitive inner-city response

The existing dwelling, titled “O’Brian house,” is an Art Deco home built in 1938 for John Patrick O’Brian, a librarian. The property is of heritage significance due to its distinctive gabled and hipped roof, unusual brick window-hood details, and the curved entry porch — all set on a corner site.

The owners needed more usable space, better light, a stronger connection to the outdoors, an extra bedroom, and a modern fit-out throughout.

Our approach was to create a “shadow” of the existing form — a modern, sympathetic “copy” of the O’Brian house. This new sculpted form is carefully positioned to complement the original building. Because the house sits beside a busy south-facing side street, the new extension provides privacy by remaining windowless on that side, with the ground floor set back to the southern boundary.

The roof of the new addition mirrors the original roof’s pitch. The first floor is located on the north side (away from the street), respecting the original house form and preserving visibility of the original chimney. We gave careful thought and attention to the design of the exterior skin of the new building, ensuring a clean, simple aesthetic by removing all non-essential visual elements.

The “shadow house” is a three-bedroom, inner-city residence on a small site. It offers a respectful and sensitive response to historically significant, inner-city living — preserving the character of the original Art Deco house while thoughtfully adding modern living spaces.