Text description provided by the architects. We have always marveled at the way an apparent shortcoming or liability related to a given site condition turns out to be the attribute that informs the essential character of a project, and such is the case for this house. The challenge was to make something of the unusual vacant property where the original dwelling had been completely lost to fire. Our site represented a missing tooth in a single-family residential neighborhood. The anomaly that defined the site, however, was the fact that its southern boundary did not extend to the public street, subverting the fact that one could not enter the dwelling from the "front". Entry through the ravine landscape was not possible and we decided that its restoration/naturalization should be our priority as this ravine landscape would provide a visual amenity to the public realm on Indian Valley Crescent, the adjacent parkette, and to the residents of the house.
