Modern Brick Home: A Daylight Marvel Near Casa Loma
Sep 15
3 min read
Updated: Sep 16
StudioAC designed a Toronto home tucked behind Casa Loma’s historic stables, where daily life and art come together. Rather than trying to stand out, the house draws inspiration from its well-known neighbour, using brick and careful craftsmanship to create something distinctive.
Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud.
The house has the atmosphere of a private gallery, with a sculptural courtyard at its heart and plenty of natural light. This design works well in Toronto, where new buildings often sit next to historic ones.
The home is organized around the sculptural courtyard and a pavilion-style living area at the back, which lets in plenty of natural light and offers views of the garden. Upstairs, the layout is practical, keeping the main living areas open and making the back of the house feel taller and more open.
Exposed glulam beams—made from glue-laminated timber—span the main floor and give the space a loft-like, gallery feel. These wooden beams are both a key part of the structure and a backdrop for daily life, art, and gatherings.
Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud.
Mirrored cutouts in the building form a carport on the east side and a sculpture court on the west side. The sculpture garden features a freestanding brick wall that looks as if it could be part of an indoor room, lending the outdoor area a sense of structure. As the day goes on, light and shadow shift across the brick, carrying the house’s materials into the landscape.
A wall of windows along the courtyard lets more daylight into the dining and kitchen areas, blurring the line between inside and outside.
Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Mined by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud.
The house’s warm buff brick exterior honours Casa Loma’s masonry past, but its shape is modern. Simple materials and design create a calm setting that lets the art, the landscape, and daily life stand out.
Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud.
With this in mind, we can understand that this house doesn’t try to compete with its famous neighbour. Casa Loma’s brickwork, simple character, and sense of permanence are used in a home designed for everyday life and art. Studio AC has created something that feels less like a monument and more like a quiet backdrop for natural light, sculpture, and everyday moments.
Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud. Modern Brick Home by StudioAC. Photography by Felix Michaud.
