The 8-Plex

While the City of Toronto is considering upzoning main streets in Neighbourhoods to allow buildings of up to four storeys as-of-right, there is also an opportunity to increase housing supply within inner neighbourhoods through plexes that maintain the look and feel of residential streets.

PREPARED FOR:

PRIVATE OWNER

 

LOCATION:

TORONTO, ON

 

SCALE:

MISSING MIDDLE

 

PROJECT DURATION:

2020

Floor plan of an 8-plex missing middle housing design in Toronto, showing two rental units per floor organized around a shared stair, elevator, and interior courtyard.
An 8-plex floor plan showing how two- and three-bedroom rental units can be organized around a shared courtyard within a compact missing middle housing form.

Increasing Density While Maintaining Form, Scale, and Massing

The City of Toronto’s primary land use designation is “Neighbourhoods,” covering a large share of the city’s land area. This designation has historically restricted changes to scale, built form, and massing by limiting the types of housing that can be built. As a result, many of these areas have remained accessible only to those who can afford to live there, while pricing out many others.

At the same time, small-scale redevelopment in stable neighbourhoods can be difficult to achieve. A lower number of units can mean lower profit margins, and it can be challenging to introduce new housing types in areas largely designed around single-family households.

Smart Density explored a way to maintain the scale and rhythm of these neighbourhoods while making targeted adjustments to increase housing supply.

Street-level rendering of an 8-plex missing middle housing project in Toronto, showing a three-storey building with an interior courtyard integrated into an established residential neighbourhood.
The 8-plex introduces additional rental housing while maintaining a scale and street presence that fits within the surrounding Toronto neighbourhood.

How Do You Maintain the Character and Rhythm of Neighbourhoods While Increasing Density?

Smart Density reimagined the traditional single-family detached house while keeping the same general built form, scale, and massing of a typical detached home. The result is a three-storey building, with half a basement storey, that accommodates eight separate units.

The building includes two units per floor, with a shared staircase and elevator connecting all levels. A communal interior courtyard provides space for social gathering, brings additional natural light into the building, and improves circulation.

By taking advantage of the courtyard’s position, the layout also allows for additional bedrooms to receive direct natural light. This makes it possible to accommodate a mix of two- and three-bedroom units within a compact building footprint.

This design introduces a missing middle housing typology into the Yellowbelt while fitting closely within the scale of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Section view of an 8-plex interior courtyard, showing shared stairs, natural light, and communal outdoor space within a missing middle housing building.
The interior courtyard brings natural light into the building, supports shared circulation, and creates a small communal space for residents.
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