The City of Burnaby is steadily growing, with a population increase between 2016 and 2021 of 7%. The City allows for in-law suites and secondary suites in single family dwellings, secondary suites in duplexes, and laneway homes. Demand for secondary suites has been quite strong in Burnaby due to the strong family ties within resident families and other housing factors.
This demand resulted in up to 5,000 unauthorized secondary suites being created to 2014.
As this Small Housing Case Study details, a policy to support authorized secondary suites was adopted in 2014 in order to start keeping track of the units and ensure compliant construction for safety. Now there are close to 1,800 permitted suites and an estimated additional 4,000+ suites unpermitted as tracked by the declaration form.
More recently the City has introduced a program called Housing Choices, to explore and encourage housing options in the city to bridge the gap between single family homes and apartments/condos.
Older central Montreal neighborhoods, developed in the early 20th century, are among Canada’s densest urban areas. This is achieved through the iconic Montreal “plex” design, stacking two or three apartments on narrow lots without sacrificing livability or relying on high-rise buildings.
Key insights:
The older neighbourhoods in central Montreal – developed in the first half of the 20th century – comprise some of the densest urban areas in Canada, something that is achieved without sacrificing livability or frequent recourse to high-rise buildings.
As this Small Housing Case Study outlines, the key to this puzzling success is the iconic Montreal “plex”, i.e., the stacking of two (“duplex”) or three (“triplex”) apartments on narrow (20-25 feet) lots with each apartment having its own front and back door and civic address.
This convivial solution that nicely combines density, livability, affordability, and conservation, iconic to Montreal, flourished in the first half of the 20th century but then fell victim to changing building regulations in the post-war period. A demand for this traditional housing solution eventually led to a relaxation of building regulations and return of the plex as an acceptable housing solution.
Explore our curated image gallery featuring a collection of thoughtfully designed gentle density homes, each uniquely crafted with 5 units, or more. Whether you’re an architect, urban planner, or simply passionate about progressive housing solutions, these 5-unit gentle density homes are sure to inspire and captivate.
Explore our curated image gallery featuring a collection of thoughtfully designed gentle density homes, each uniquely crafted with two units. Whether you’re an architect, urban planner, or simply passionate about progressive housing solutions, these 2-unit gentle density homes are sure to inspire and captivate.
Explore our curated image gallery featuring a collection of thoughtfully designed gentle density homes, each uniquely crafted with three units. Whether you’re an architect, urban planner, or simply passionate about progressive housing solutions, these 3-unit gentle density homes are sure to inspire and captivate.
Explore our curated image gallery featuring a collection of thoughtfully designed gentle density homes, each uniquely crafted with four units. Whether you’re an architect, urban planner, or simply passionate about progressive housing solutions, these 4-unit gentle density homes are sure to inspire and captivate.
These designs are for illustrative purposes only, and not intended for construction.
This forward-thinking design seamlessly incorporates a total of 8 units, offering a mix of unit types to suit various needs, including two spacious family-sized units with 3 bedrooms each. Each unit features its own individual entrance door, ensuring privacy and convenience for residents. Alternatively, the design can accommodate a total of 6 units, including four with 2 bedrooms each, providing flexibility in configuration.
Despite its multi-unit layout, the design maintains the feel of a small apartment building within the scale of a large single-family home, blending functionality with aesthetic appeal. In total, the design offers 14 bedrooms, catering to diverse household sizes. The proposed floor space ratios (FSR) are 1.10 on a 50×110’ lot and 0.91 on a 60×110’ lot, showcasing efficient land usage while maximizing livable space.
Drawing and Images
“Tweedsmuir” on 60′ front-access lot“Tweedsmuir” on 60′ front-access lot“Tweedsmuir” on 50′ front-access lot“Tweedsmuir” on 50′ front-access lot
These designs are for illustrative purposes only, and not intended for construction.
This cutting-edge design can incorporate a total of six units on a lot just 33’ wide, using an innovative shared, “point-access-block” stair.
“Comox” also maximizes its small lot through the use of a zero-lot-line on one side. The design could be used to ease the transition within a block from a commercial zone to residential, or the design could be mirrored on a second lot to create a rooftop patio space between the two structures.
This rooftop space would be in addition to one courtyard already on the ground level and another on the third storey, which give the design its abundant light and air access in spite of its density: a FSR of 0.73 on the 50×131’ lot shown, or 1.10 on the 33×131’ lot. “Comox” has 9 bedrooms and utilizes sprinklering.
Drawing and Images
“Comox” on 50′ rear-access lot“Comox” on 50′ rear-access lot“Comox” on 33′ rear-access lot“Comox” on 33′ rear-access lot
These designs are for illustrative purposes only, and not intended for construction.
This ambitious design stands out in its library, boasting a total of 13 units spread across two structures on an urban-sized lot. Despite its size, the design maintains the scale and aesthetic harmony of a residential neighborhood. It shines particularly bright as dedicated rental accommodation, catering to the needs of urban dwellers.
Noteworthy features include a common bike storage room and a spacious rooftop deck in the rear structure, providing residents with additional amenities and leisure spaces. The central courtyard serves as a community hub, offering a private space for residents to gather and relax, complete with envisioned picnic furniture for added comfort. The design employs a cutting-edge “point-access block” solution, with 6 units accessed via a single stairwell, meeting the requirements set forth in the Vancouver Building By-law.
Enhanced safety measures such as sprinklering, fire alarm systems, and smoke evacuation systems in the stairwell ensure residents’ safety and well-being. In total, the design accommodates 18 bedrooms, accommodating a range of household sizes. The proposed floor space ratios (FSR) are 1.42 on a 50×130’ lot and 1.18 on a 60×130’ lot, demonstrating efficient land usage while maximizing livable space and community amenities.
Drawing and Images
Mount Pleasant sample home design, on a 50′ rear/lane access lot.Mount-Pleasant-on-60-corner-lot
These designs are for illustrative purposes only, and not intended for construction.
This proposed home design ingeniously conceals five two-bedroom units and three lock-off suites within a house-like structure by strategically positioning the top storey beneath the roof and sinking the bottom storey a few steps down. Additionally, it incorporates versatile space for mixed-use, offering potential for commercial use to maximize the corner lot location, or alternatively, these spaces could be leased or sold separately as studios or offices, or shared as amenities for residents.
The ground-level studio units are depicted as lock-off suites, though they could also be fully separated if desired. Moreover, the design showcases sprinklered features to allow for greater window area along the side facing the neighbor, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality. With parking situated off the side street, this design is adaptable for corner or rear-access lots.
In terms of capacity, it boasts a total of 13 bedrooms. The proposed floor space ratio (FSR) is 1.35 on a 50×140’ lot and 1.12 on a 60×140’ lot, including garage space where applicable.
Drawing and Images
EPSON MFP image“Schoolhouse” on 50′ corner lot“Schoolhouse” on 60′ corner lot“Schoolhouse” on 60′ corner lot
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