With clients approaching retirement age, it was important for them to be able to stay in their home that they loved and age in place. That's why Vanessa Fong, Principal Architect at VFA Architecture—a Toronto-based firm known for using innovative approaches to arrive at beautiful, practical and finely crafted solutions—approached The Glen project with an eye on accessibility.
"It's always wonderful to work with clients who really understand how they want people to experience the space," says Fong. "With The Glen, what started as a simple addition above a garage grew as a labor of love for the homeowners and became a place to create joy and togetherness with their family and friends."
Finding Alignment
The renovation aimed to blend the existing home with a modern addition, facilitating easy movement between the two sections. Because of the slope on that side of the property, they had to make a decision: design and build to the topography and have an extension that was a half-level lower at each floor than the main portion of the house but with a true walk-out to the garden, or raise the addition and have to have steps down to the garden.
"My clients knew what they wanted people to feel and experience when entering the addition, whether from the original part of the house, coming up from the pool, or arriving for a party. And we didn't want the barrier of steps at the garden entrance. That made the choice easy."
An easy choice, but a trickier design challenge.
"We had to really think about making the transitional space between the original home and the addition feel fluid and connected, even though the levels aren't, well, level from one to the other. And that's where the elevator plays a central role."
For The Glen, the team chose the Savaria Eclipse home elevator for its flexible configuration capabilities—including half-floor stops—its space-saving, machine-roomless design, and its reliable geared-chain drive system. Add in its quick-installing modular design, a capacity ranging from 750lb (base model) to 1000 lb (HD model), a minimum pit depth of just 8" with an overhead of only 96" and the ability to use same-side, straight-through or 90º entry and exit configuration options, and it's suitable for a wide range of projects and lifestyles—from production homes to high-end custom jobs.
More Than Transportation
"We usually see home elevators as mainly utilitarian and a feature for aging in place, so we hide them inside completely solid shaftways, tucked away. We put them behind millwork and panels. And the design aesthetic of the cab is sometimes an afterthought. For The Glen, we wanted the elevator to be a showcase piece and an integral aspect of the home's interior design. We all had a lot of fun picking finishes that would also deliver the required functionality like capacity, safety and durability."
The elevator was customized with specific finishes and materials to harmonize with the home's aesthetic. The cab interior featured wood paneling that complemented the home's décor, and the fixtures were selected to match the existing hardware throughout the residence.
Perhaps the cherry on top of the design sundae is a stunning mural by Rebel Walls adorning the interior of the hoistway."The interior of the shaft is a visual design element all on its own," says Fong. "We're thrilled with how it turned out!"
An Aging-In-Place Haven
The completed project resulted in a cohesive living space catering to all family members' mobility needs. The Savaria Eclipse elevator provides a reliable and smooth ride between floors, enhancing daily living and ensuring the home is prepared for future accessibility requirements.
"A lot of thought and care went into every element of the addition," says Fong. "And as always, our friends at Hummingbird Hill Homes did an amazing job with the execution of the build. Their talent and craftmanship really shows through at The Glen."
Find more case studies, educational content and design tools for home elevators at Savaria.com/professionals
