Micro-Units at Smart House in Toronto

By Penny Munoz

For those of us who thought we left our dorm room nightmare behind after college, the cost of living in Toronto is a rude awakening. Comparable to trends seen in booming cities worldwide, soaring real estate prices in Toronto have created a new market for affordable urban dwelling.

World-class cities like New York, London and Tokyo implemented micro-unit development into city planning years ago. Developers Urban Capital Property Group and Malibu Investments Inc. are working side-by-side with architectsAlliance and interior designer II BY IV to satisfy the needs of this thriving market in Toronto.

Toronto’s first micro-unit building is coming to the heart of the city at 219 Queen Street West. Though not nearly as small as New York City’s 100 square-foot Harlem building’s micro-apartment, or even as the 297 square-foot units in “Balance” located in Whalley, B.C., Toronto’s Smart House will feature 300 square foot suites starting at $249,000.

Labelled “Smart House” for its frontline technological designs, this spatially efficient building offers young, first-time buyers and retirees looking to downsize affordable housing in the attractive downtown core. Executed with expert precision by cutting edge interior designers, Smart House promotes a comfortable lifestyle with modern innovations like living rooms that transform into bedrooms with retractable countertops and dining tables, movable partitions and double-up sofas and desks.

The location cannot get any better; just north of the city’s iconic CN Tower, a stride away from the Financial District, right on the Yonge Street and University subway line, and the Queen streetcar just minutes away, these units are definitely going to sell fast.

The 25-storey building, distinguished by its stylish red balconies will have retail spaces on the first two floors and office on the next two, which leaves floors five to 25 for the 241 residential suites. Other amenities include a guest suite, party room, outdoor terrace with bbq, tables and lounge areas for entertaining, show kitchen and a complete gym.

If it’s hard to imagine living in a unit just a little bigger than the average size of a one-car garage, take a look at what talented designers have done in cities around the world to bring luxury into small spaces like these:

Brooklyn Heights, NY by Sarah Zames

Micro-unit designers like Sarah Zames, principal of General Assembly, employ helpful lighting and framing techniques to create an “efficient studio that one would choose to live in for convenience, rather than settle for because of budget,” says Zames.

Harbor Attic, Genova by Gosplan Architects

Gosplan’s vision for this micro-unit is to treat a small living space as a piece of furniture; after using each room, it has to be closed and reopened as a new one.

How do you think Toronto will adapt to this new lifestyle? Do you expect to see more micro-unit buildings in the near future?