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Tetris House
Tetris House
Toronto, Canada
Project Featured on Apr 08, 2014
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Tetris House
Toronto, Canada
Project Featured on Apr 08, 2014
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2013
SIZE
3000 sqft - 5000 sqft
BUDGET
$500K - 1M
We have all played the game Tetris at least once in our lives, mesmerized by the magic of geometry and rewarded through acts of efficiency. For rzlbd, Tetris is not just a game of block arrangement and fast performance, but a quest for effective design. If a space design was as perfectly structured as Tetris blocks, there would be virtually zero wasted space within a building.
So when a client demanded a program that seemed impossible to fit in a 40 foot by 110 foot lot, especially in regards to tight zoning restrictions for an infill project in Toronto, rzlbd decided to meet the challenge of “no leftover space” with a simple rule in mind: every inch is a usable inch.
This 3,000 square foot house comprises three levels, with the same program as a 4,000 square foot house previously designed by rzlbd. It includes five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two laundry rooms, a nanny room, home office, a large living/dining area, spacious kitchen, bar with a wine cellar and entertainment area, covered garage, and lots of storage area. Although Tetris house is compact in its program, it manages to channel sufficient natural light throughout the entire length of the house. The light well that penetrates from the upper floor to the basement, plugging into the living room with a glass-covered opening, is an invisible Tetris element that helps bring a vertical light element into the house.
For better efficiency the 55 foot wall on the ground floor is filled with a continuous built-in millwork that adapts to the needs of each program. It transforms from office shelving by the entry foyer, to the kitchen/dining cabinets and the fireplace in the living area. The millwork not only connects the four programs but also creates abundant storage space and a clean modern look that avoids a congested floor plan. The Tetris elements that plug into one another create challenges such as meeting appropriate height clearances and stair landings that properly connect the floors. These issues were carefully dealt with in section by placing individual steps on each level that correspond to the change in programs, allowing for sufficient height on the lower levels.
The exterior of the house is a surprising jumble of different materials and claddings that courageously expose the Tetris elements of the interior spaces. This bold exposure is not an attempt at creating a harmonious façade, yet it is an attractive and charming scene as it displays the geometry of a well-played Tetris game.
Design: Reza Aliabadi [rzlbd]
Project Team: Reza Aliabadi, Ehsan Zareian
Structure: ADA Engineering
Construction Management: Doreen Development Inc.
Architectural Photography: borXu Design
So when a client demanded a program that seemed impossible to fit in a 40 foot by 110 foot lot, especially in regards to tight zoning restrictions for an infill project in Toronto, rzlbd decided to meet the challenge of “no leftover space” with a simple rule in mind: every inch is a usable inch.
This 3,000 square foot house comprises three levels, with the same program as a 4,000 square foot house previously designed by rzlbd. It includes five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two laundry rooms, a nanny room, home office, a large living/dining area, spacious kitchen, bar with a wine cellar and entertainment area, covered garage, and lots of storage area. Although Tetris house is compact in its program, it manages to channel sufficient natural light throughout the entire length of the house. The light well that penetrates from the upper floor to the basement, plugging into the living room with a glass-covered opening, is an invisible Tetris element that helps bring a vertical light element into the house.
For better efficiency the 55 foot wall on the ground floor is filled with a continuous built-in millwork that adapts to the needs of each program. It transforms from office shelving by the entry foyer, to the kitchen/dining cabinets and the fireplace in the living area. The millwork not only connects the four programs but also creates abundant storage space and a clean modern look that avoids a congested floor plan. The Tetris elements that plug into one another create challenges such as meeting appropriate height clearances and stair landings that properly connect the floors. These issues were carefully dealt with in section by placing individual steps on each level that correspond to the change in programs, allowing for sufficient height on the lower levels.
The exterior of the house is a surprising jumble of different materials and claddings that courageously expose the Tetris elements of the interior spaces. This bold exposure is not an attempt at creating a harmonious façade, yet it is an attractive and charming scene as it displays the geometry of a well-played Tetris game.
Design: Reza Aliabadi [rzlbd]
Project Team: Reza Aliabadi, Ehsan Zareian
Structure: ADA Engineering
Construction Management: Doreen Development Inc.
Architectural Photography: borXu Design
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