‘the offset house’ by JA architecture studio
looking at ways to capture light on an east-west lot by splitting and offsetting the second floor of a narrow and deep infill house, toronto-based JA architecture studio and arta design & build have palced two levels in a section to become an opening for ample lighting to flood the main floor. the plan becomes a void that allows a straight cascading staircase to pass through, where the elevation separates the half storey volumes. defining the entry to create a distance between the southern face of the top volume and the neighbor, two cozy exterior spaces become present for the lower second floor as the result of this volumetric shift. ultimately, the house constantly changes mood and character by the changing qualities of illumination during the day.
view from the north
close up shot of the entrance
the kitchen
the upstairs corridor, the reading nook and the south light
the living space and the deck
view from the deck inside
shot of the living space and the straight cascading stair
conceptual sketch depicting the split and offset
model shots 
longitudinal section
short sections
project info:
title: sabz boutique building project architect(s): JA architecture studio and ARTA design and build location: toronto, ontario, canada structural design: blackwell bowick partnership ltd. project area: approx. 2000 sqf project year: 2012
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