Akb Architects

202 Morrow Ave, Toronto, ON M6R 2H9, Canada

www.akb.ca

Founded in 2004, Akb Architects is the Toronto-based residential architecture studio of Robert Kastelic and Kelly Buffey, architects dedicated to the practice and art of building. The quest to capture the poetic and ineffable qualities of space manifests in Akb’s design process, which prioritizes a clarity of vision, attention to detail, and a rigorous commitment to conceptual intent. The work of the studio benefits from Robert and Kelly’s extensive training in both architecture and interior design; a comprehensive strategy results in buildings of exceptional resolution and an uncommon level of refinement. A unified and holistic approach to interior and exterior space merges building and landscape into a seamless experience, transforming the ephemeral into the tactile

PROJECTS

Muskoka Cottage. A multi-generational family dwelling with an organic nature intertwined with the landscape

The Muskoka Cottage is a residence of approximately 700 square meters, consisting of three interconnected volumes that create welcoming spaces with a spectacular view of a freshwater lake. Its simple forms are distinctly contemporary but equipped with vernacular details, such as the gabled roof with pronounced chimneys and the abundance of naturally aged wood, which give it the charm of a “house in the woods”

A rocky enclave houses a wooden cottage. Boathouse on the shores of a lake

A rocky enclave with a rugged beauty is where Akb Architects designed Metrick Cottage, a one-storey, wood-panelled boathouse on the shores of Lake Joseph in Ontario

Charred Wood Boathouse. Parallel wooden planes build an ethereal space on the lakeshore

It was inspired by the image of the wooden docks along the edges of the Muskoka lakes, the boathouse was conceived as a series of planar elements that flow past each other. A slippage of planes that echoes the movement of the water as it changes course

The Story Pod: a landmark dedicated to the art of daily reading, and an intimate urban lantern by night

The Story Pod, in Akb's own style, is a pure, simple form that conceals a profoundly reflective approach to architecture: an abstract, black volume with compact dimensions, 2.5x2.5m base and 3m height, an urban landmark with the function of a place for book exchange