Withrow Heritage Property - Sold
Designer
Address
3210 Parkdale Blvd NW
Size
4,400 sqft - Main House
850s sqft - Laneway
Date of Build
1911 (Original)
2016 (Renovation)
2017 (Laneway)
Total Bedrooms
4
Total Bathrooms
5 1/2
“The design-build process behind the Withrow Restoration was an archaeological exercise involving moments of discovery and surprise that instigated responsive design moves. Our design strategy maintains these characteristics and contrasts them with contemporary elements, creating a dialogue between old and new.”
- Matthew Kennedy
Founder and Principal, Studio North
The Withrow is a two-phased redevelopment of a riverfront property in the community of Parkdale. The project involved the renovation of a municipally designated historic house, the construction of an innovative laneway house, and the landscaping of the spaces that connect the two houses. This Heritage home and Laneway Home is one of Studio North's very first projects, considered to be their flagship laneway home and heritage project in Calgary. It has received much acclaim, including multiple publications and awards including a Mayor's Urban Design Award.
Originally built in 1911, The Withrow House is a tapestry of history built up through time, contributing to the neighbourhood’s charm and historic distinction. The Heritage house is a bungalow with a full master bedroom and all of it's living space on the main level. The house has been completely renovated with all new plumbing, electrical, and heating systems, including a radiant concrete floor in the basement. The Withrow Laneway House sensitively and unobtrusively contributes density to the urban fabric of Parkdale by making use of the laneway as its front street. The laneway house is tucked away behind the original Withrow House, a municipally designated heritage resource. The project offered an opportunity to save one of Calgary’s heritage houses while building an affordable, compact living space in the inner city. This complete property provides an innovative and flexible solution for aging in place and multigenerational family living.
Montage of the Withrow Heritage Property
“Heritage is wisdom. This house strikes a fine balance between the past, present and future. It has the heritage and design elements that make it unique. We added a modern addition to the back of the house, and the incorporation of a laneway house provides a vision of possibility for the future of our neighbourhoods.”
- Mark Erickson
Co-Founder, Arch House
Adjustments to the original floorplan of the 1911 Withrow House have opened up the layout to create brighter and more seamless spaces. The main living room sits at the center of the home, flanked by a dining room and kitchen with exposed structural elements demarcating thresholds between.
The den at the heart of the home is the first space seen upon entry. A black spiral staircase into the new upstairs dormer addition draws the eye right to the center of the house and brings sunlight down into the center of the floorplan.
In addition to the living options of the laneway house, the main house finished basement also has a separate entry and two divided living spaces, creating the opportunity for tenants or additional family members to have their own space.
