House in Caledon by Ian MacDonald Architect

Toronto-based studio Ian MacDonald Architect has designed the House in Caledon.

This contemporary rural home is located in Caledon, a town in the Regional Municipality of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.

House in Caledon by Ian MacDonald Architect:

“The site is a 90-acre parcel of rolling farmland, located in Caledon, forty-five minutes north-west of Toronto.

The agricultural property, natural topography, experiential sequence and an existing barn and stone farmhouse provide a dramatic situation for this new residence for a family of four. Careful siting re-presents this landscape’s rural character and the innate qualities of exposure and containment.

The new house is a non-building, thereby leaving the original farmhouse and barn intact and entirely separate from the house.

Careful view-framing and spatial sequencing provide a framework through which one can experience the landscape and agricultural history. The house is located at the end of a long lane, with a modest presence from the road. This distance establishes the appearance of two separate occupancies as viewed from the road and the quiet approach to house ensures that the property’s pastoral presence is preserved.

Various elements structure one’s perception of the place, and its relationship to the original site. A watercourse runs alongside the house to a pond within the landscape, inviting the sounds of running water into the interior. A walking path along the edge of the extended watercourse continues towards the barn, visually and physically linking the new residence to the historic settlement. Nestled within the ground, the house focuses views into the meadow rather than onto it. A continuous fl at roof with a generous canopy is planted with the same grasses as the meadow, further integrating the house with its site. Each element – old and new – retains its character and integrity, while establishing a collective sense of place.”

Photos by: Tom Arban