
Leslieville, Toronto
Good design here is doing more than making the home memorable - it's balancing light, privacy, openness and protection in a way that makes dense city living feel more comfortable.
The recessed ground floor creates a greater sense of shelter and privacy at street level, while the upper terraces provide outdoor space without giving up that feeling of separation from the city around it.
The curved archways are doing more than adding character. They introduce a sense of softness and shelter — forms that echo the protected, cave-like spaces humans have long been drawn to.
These design choices may be made consciously, but much of how we experience them happens subconsciously. Before we think about why a space feels comfortable, our brains are already responding to things like light, enclosure, sightlines and a sense of protection.