The stacked volumes, reminiscent of a column of books, of the Stack House in Toronto

The Stack House is designed by Atelier RZLBD as a composition of three blocks: the bottom one, housing the communal space, is finished in stucco; the middle block, which hosts transitional spaces like the multipurpose room on the mezzanine floor, is finished in charred wood; finally, the top block, with its more private spaces such as the master bedroom and bathroom, is finished in metallic panels. A dark gray hue serves as a backdrop, highlighting the differentiation of the volumes, creating a contradictory image of both monumentality and intimacy

The stairwell splits the composition from top to bottom, extending down to the basement, bringing in light from the skylights. The rooms on different levels overlap this extreme vertical void. Located between the ground floor and the second floor, the multipurpose room is a diagonal extension of the living room below and interprets the communal space shared by the three bedrooms on the upper level. From the living room, this diagonal line continues down to the transparent cellar and into the garden

Unlike the clear differentiation of the three blocks on the outside, the interior is a vertical labyrinth that winds around the staircase, generating a constant movement in the body, eyes, and mind, pervading the entire house. Located in the Forest Hill neighborhood of Toronto, the segmented profile of the house is well-scaled in relation to the surrounding buildings: its facade with a sloping roof tends to blend in with them, yet at the same time, it stands out as a provocative statement

The solid and dark image of the house evokes a sense of monumentality, suggesting more fluid and undefined spatial boundaries within. While adhering to all regulations, the house rejects the monotonous conception of most of the city's residential architecture, suggesting an alternative typology: an unorthodox shape that champions the free nature of architectural space, while maintaining and dramatizing the spatial order that unifies the internal and external complexity