Project: North York Ravine House
Architecture: Denegri Bessai Studio
Lead Architects: Tom Bessai, Maria Denegri
Structural Consultants: Contact Engineering
General Contractors: DJP Homes
Location: Toronto, Canada
Area: 7080 ft2
Year: 2024
Photo Credits: Scott Norsworthy
North York Ravine House by Denegri Bessai Studio transforms a mid-century modern bungalow into a bright, functional haven for a young family of five. When the family moved into the house on the edge of a North York ravine, they loved the modernist style and natural surroundings—but found the interior cramped, dark, and disconnected from the beautiful landscape. They turned to Denegri Bessai Studio to improve functionality and create a space that stays true to the home’s modernist roots while meeting contemporary needs.
Opening Up and Inviting Nature Inside
The architects began by opening up the interior. They replaced a series of small, disconnected rooms with an airy living, dining, and kitchen area that stretches almost the entire length of the main floor. By removing the rear wall and installing a floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall, they flooded the space with natural light and created a nearly seamless connection to the ravine beyond. The design also replaces the flat ceiling with a vaulted ceiling finished in warm Douglas Fir, echoing the home’s distinct roofline and adding depth to the living area.
Artistic Focal Points and Playful Details
A central structural pier emerged as an artistic focal point. The design team clad the column with handmade TATA tiles from Mexico City, arranging them both vertically and horizontally to form projecting shelves and ledges for decoration and display. Toward the front of the house, they incorporated an existing skylight into the second-floor addition. This creates a soaring two-story cutout that channels light into the dining room through an irregularly shaped opening—a creative nod to the original roofline now echoed inside.
Smart Additions for Family Living
The unobtrusive second-floor addition houses two children’s bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom. The central skylight cutout creates a playful “peek-a-boo” lookout, where the children can watch the spaces below through a safety glass guard. The addition extends outward and down to ground level to form a double-height mudroom with individual cubbies and a durable Pirelli rubber floor—a signature material of DB Studio known for its style, durability, and ease of maintenance.
Modern Aesthetics, Timeless Vision
From the street, the house appears modestly altered. Its narrow, bridge-like footprint and set-back position maintain the classic modernist form of the split-level bungalow. The prominent angles of the addition echo the home’s distinctive asymmetrical roofline, layering into the background like mountains in a landscape painting. Outside, sprawling rear patios extend the living space toward the ravine, inviting outdoor activities and connection with nature.
In the end, North York Ravine House stands as a light-filled, highly functional home that honors its original modernist vision while embracing new playful elements for a growing family. Denegri Bessai Studio has crafted a space that connects every room to the natural surroundings, making everyday life more joyful and comfortable for the next generation.
