An accessible, multigenerational home rooted in geometry, landscape and light

Perched on the ancient Scarborough Bluffs, Meadowcliffe House by Lebel & Bouliane redefines what it means to design for multigenerational living. This open-plan, fully accessible home brings three generations together under one roof, balancing independence, connection and long-term aging in place with striking architectural clarity.

Lake Iroquois’ historic shoreline terminates in one of Ontario’s most dramatic landforms, the Scarborough Bluffs. Set on a rock shelf formed by 12,000 years of erosion, Meadowcliffe House draws its design directly from this geological past. The house sits at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac, tucked between a protected forested hill to the north and Lake Ontario’s shoreline to the south, a rare site that inspired an architecture connected equally to water and stone.

Its sculptural form materializes as two solid volumes carved apart to reveal a luminous three-storey atrium. This central space gathers daylight deep into the home and creates sightlines that connect the family’s daily life across all levels. The 7,500-square-foot residence was designed for a busy couple with young children and grandparents who stay for weeks or months at a time. The ground floor is entirely barrier-free, with wide corridors, an accessible guest suite and flush thresholds that allow seamless movement from garage to lake. An elevator links every floor, including a third-level family lounge and rooftop deck perched above the mist and trees. Overcoming strict building codes, the architects devised a subtle trench drain system that protects the structure yet keeps every threshold level, a quiet technical accomplishment that makes accessibility possible.

At its heart, Meadowcliffe House supports both everyday life and large gatherings of up to 80 people. Living, kitchen and dining spaces flow out to a flush stone patio and infinity pool that traces the bluff’s edge. Bridges span the central void to connect the parents’ wing with the children’s bedrooms, balancing openness with quiet moments for rest. Concealed beneath the garage slab, a hidden subterranean movie theatre and games room provide a private retreat. A small Buddhist altar offers space for meditation, anchoring the family’s daily rituals in calm.

The house’s atmosphere is shaped by the ever-changing weather at the top of the bluff, a quality that became part of its design language. “One of my favourite features of the site was the way the sky, clouds and lake often blur into three shades of grey,” says Luc Bouliane. “Often, the house feels hidden in the mist, part of that sublime horizon.”

Stone is both structure and story. The architects used 6,350 square feet of natural Algonquin Limestone, quarried two hours away in Owen Sound. Luc Bouliane personally visited the quarry to select the precise vein, ensuring a subtle, consistent grain and tone across facade, soffits and interior walls. Every piece was cut to 6, 12 or 18 inches in height with random lengths, then numbered and pre-mitred at the quarry to maintain perfect corners. Load-bearing masonry walls transition into mechanically fastened stone panels supported by a concealed steel structure. Soffits appear to float, held by custom stainless hardware engineered in collaboration with a stone specialist. Inside, the same limestone wraps the atrium’s interior walls in exact alignment with the exterior, grounding the three-storey void in a continuous material connection to the bluffs themselves.

Brushed oak flooring from Moncer, Oxford white walls and warm grey-bronze cladding echo the lake’s muted palette. More than 27 mature trees were preserved, native plants reintroduced and the bluff edge carefully protected by runoff strategies and a custom septic system. This meticulous stewardship shaped every decision, down to the smallest threshold.

Furnishings layer Canadian craft and international accents. Montauk, Atelier Dimo, Nadine Hajar Studio, Hollis + Morris, A-N-D and Bocci sit alongside MOS Design and Lange Production pieces. Artwork by Bau Xi Gallery’s Casey McGlynn and ceramicist Thomas Ballman, with styling by Number 2 Collective bring a personal, lived-in warmth to the interior.

Meadowcliffe House is a retreat at the edge of the city, designed to age and evolve alongside the family it holds. By rooting geometry, geology and light into every decision, Lebel & Bouliane have created a place that belongs entirely to its land and to the generations who gather within it.