Haus A36: How 3 Homes on 1 Toronto Plot Offset Costs
13 hours ago
5 min read
On a 25-foot plot in Toronto's Playter Estates, a young family stayed in the neighbourhood they had already made home by building a custom family residence, an additional three-storey house, and a laneway house.
Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca
The roof features multiple layers and deep eaves, and the white stucco reflects light while cedar adds warmth to each doorway. Located on a peaceful street with trees in the neighbourhood of Playter Estates in North Riverdale, Toronto, Haus A36 corresponds to its late-19th- and early-20th-century neighbours—known for their front porches and different rooflines—by means of scale, depth, recessed entrances and a facade that is formed by shade and light. The main building contains two homes, and a third is situated in a laneway.
The project was completed in 2026 by baukultur/ca, led by founder and principal designer Felix Leicher, and includes about 4,800 square feet over four levels in the main building, plus a 550-square-foot laneway house at the back. The lesson is clear: one Toronto lot can accommodate more than a single house; it can let a family stay where they belong.
Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca
Haus A36 began with a family's decision to stay in place. Since their townhouse had become too small, moving would have meant leaving the schools, the subway, the friends, and the routines that made up their daily life.
Being able to talk to Felix Leicher, and the fact that a nearby plot of land measured 25 by 120 feet, meant a possibility had arisen that the family hadn't considered a few months earlier. The question had shifted from how to enlarge the house they already had to what one Toronto property could achieve.
The baukultur/ca design included the site as three fully completed houses: a specially designed family home for the owners, a second three-storey house for long-term tenants, and a one-bedroom house on the laneway for use by extended family members and for rental. Income from the other houses made new construction possible, and the family remains within easy walking distance of Danforth Avenue and the subway.
“The family wanted to remain in the neighbourhood, so we began by asking how one property could support that decision. The result is a home shaped around their daily life, together with two additional homes planned as complete places to live.” — Felix Leicher, founder and principal designer of baukultur/ca.
The main building includes two family houses which are arranged around a winding party wall. This wall runs across the 22-foot-wide area, and the two plans fit together around it. Each house has its own entrance, vertical circulation, private rooms, outdoor space, and individuality—one building, two different ways of living, and almost no wastage of land.
The house is arranged around the family's everyday routine; the main floor has a large kitchen and a standalone fireplace. Extended lines, large windows, and built-in storage make the small space feel more open, and the main living areas open directly onto the back garden.
Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography
The upper floor includes a bedroom and bathroom for the girls, plus a home office, laundry area, and guest room with an ensuite bathroom; one girl's bedroom has a window seat that creates a peaceful corner. The third floor contains the main bedroom and a private deck with views of the Toronto skyline.
The second house was constructed with a family of the future in mind. A self-standing built-in organizes the ground floor around a central kitchen. The living space faces the street, while the dining area sits at a lower level at the back. Openings on three sides draw daylight deep into the plan, and the carefully proportioned rooms, integrated storage, privacy, and outdoor connections support a long-term family lifestyle. It is a full home designed to appeal to families.
Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography
Fine-textured white stucco defines the building volumes and is part of the external insulation system; locally sourced stained white cedar frames the entrances and recessed facade surfaces; black-framed windows establish a regular pattern on both main residences.
The room features warm wooden surfaces, white walls, and simple decorative details, combined with built-in cabinetry, all of which provide a neutral background for daylight, proportion, and flow between rooms.
A one-bedroom laneway house sits at the back of the property, above two parking spaces. Relatives can stay there on longer visits. The family earns income by renting it out when they do not need the house.
From the start, the plan focused on the main building. The position, windows, access, services, parking, and relationship with the garden were all coordinated around the mature beech tree.
The back of the site remains part of the property in actual use, including the tree canopy, the garden, access, parking and a third house, all of which are situated on the same small plot.
Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca
Haus A36 was designed in accordance with the zoning regulations and did not require a Committee of Adjustment application; it contained three houses, two parking spaces, private outdoor areas and a mature beech tree in the rear yard. The approval process remained straightforward, which in turn supported the construction schedule.
The second property was let within one week of listing.
Extended family members have since used the laneway house for stays, and tenants have rented it. In this way, the extra houses achieve the project's main aim: making the owners' new home financially feasible while also providing adequate homes for families and tenants.
Owners need not choose between a specially designed family house and keeping the neighbourhood they like. The Toronto plot gave them both, including two additional houses in a highly desirable part of the city well served by public transit. Each house serves a different function and is a self-contained home—a place to arrive, live, withdraw, and gather, and feel a sense of belonging.
Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by baukultur/ca Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography Haus A36. Photography by Jack Gifford Photography
Informations & Credits
Official project name: Haus A36
Location: Playter Estates, North Riverdale, Toronto, Canada
Completion: 2026
Areas:
Main building: Approximately 4,800 sq. ft.
Laneway house: Approximately 550 sq. ft.
Residential Design and Interiors: baukultur/ca
Project Team: Felix Leicher, Founder and Principal Designer; Clayton Zdan
Builder: Blackrock Design
Structural Engineering and Grading: Pimelite Building
Mechanical Design: Fuzion HVAC Design
Photography: baukultur/ca and Jack Gifford Photography
