CENTRAL CONDOMINIUM : MIAMI MODEL

The Miami model is another interesting floor plan from the Central 1 project. Half of the walls defining the unit have floor to ceiling windows. So there's a lot of natural light that comes in. This larger unit also has an island in the kitchen and a pretty neat walk-in closet.

The construction of this unit follows the same work breakdown schedule as the other units : first the demising walls, then the interior walls studs, followed by the rough-ins and the gypsum boards.

The following fours images taken in sequence were taken standing in the living room area looking towards the kitchen.

Similarly, the following four images were taken standing in the kitchen area looking towards the living area.

There are six Miami models in this project. Each at different levels of completion as the building crew moves towards the top of the building. The ceramic floor in the bathroom and the cabinets should start soon (if not already). It will be interesting to see how the rooms take shape.

STAIR INSPIRATIONS

The beautiful stairs shown above (source : Dwell) are the work of a design firm called Ab Rogers in London for a home called the Rainbow House. The colorful stairs in the middle of a bright white space, are more inviting, fun, and still modern.

It seems to me like staircases in large condominium buildings are the most forgotten space when it comes to design. They very often look like a commercial space, even though they are supposed to be part of a home. Taking the stairs in a condo or apartment building is much healthier than taking the elevator, but they are so uninviting, that most people prefer to take the elevator. They tend to become neglected to over time. I think if we would take the time to make them look more interesting, more people would take the stairs more often.

Take a look at these stairs from a condo in downtown Ottawa. The concrete walls are painted white and the railings are charcoal. It's a little depressing don't you think?

If it was up to me, or if I was a member of the condo board, I would suggest to add a bit of color. I think the walls would have to stay white to maximize the reflection of the artificial light in the space (it's an energy saving strategy). However, the railing could be painted in different hues as shown below (source: House to Home). And why not add a colorful art piece on the wall of each landing with the floor number?

Another great alternative would be to paint the floor a bright color like the stairs from the Benetton store at Oxford Circus (Source : Zamir's Big Fat Blog). Look at the hues of these stairs. Aren't they more inviting ? The only thing I would change in this picture are the handrails. I don't think they are the best option considering the floor, but to each their own.

UPGRADING A STANDARD URBAN BALCONY (PART 2)

The outdoor furniture is finally here! I got two Panton-style chairs and a round aluminum table. The chairs can be used outdoor or indoors and are stackable. They don't take a lot of space, which is ideal in a small space like this, and they are really easy to clean.

Putting the table together was interesting. Not that it was difficult (it only took me 10-15 minutes), it just was not obvious right away. Some of the parts were pre-assembled and not all the pieces in the box were drawn on the sheet. But all the pieces were there, including an extra one.

It took me a couple minutes to realize that the "extra" piece above was not part of the table, but was a tool to tighten the bolts. A little trick to keep yourself organized is to identify tools like these. I like to use labels. It will be easier to find the right one in the box of tools when the table will need to be re-tightened at some point in the future.

Now that the furniture is in place, there's are two little gaps that need to be filled on the floor. The one in the back near the brick wall just needs another box of tiles (They were out last time I went). The one near the glass rail is a little tricky. I have some ideas, we'll see what works best.

CENTRAL CONDOMINIUMS : TORONTO MODEL

There are several types of floor plans available in the Central 1 building. One of the smallest ones is a 478-square-foot-one-bedroom-unit called the Toronto, one of the models I will be following throughout the construction process. There are six units of that kind in the building.

The Toronto unit faces North. It is slightly recessed and nestled between two other types of unit. As a result, this unit receives a bit less natural light compared to other units with a similar orientation. It will be interesting to see how different finishes affect the overall look and feel of this space.

 

Temporary wooden railings are installed while waiting for the concrete to cure. There are also temporary posts (shown in yellow) supporting the slab above. During that time, framers trace the location of the future partition walls on the floor (shown in red).

 

After a certain time, the windows are ready to be installed. In this case, the window frames were installed without the glass and the glass was installed after. You can see above the frames for the unit leaning on the wall on the left and the installed windows on the right. In each unit, a copy of the floor plan as well as the schedule of finishes is taped to the windows.

 

Here's the overall view of the installed windows in one of the units. There are openings on either side of the wall: one for the bedroom  on the left and one for the living area on the right.

 

The view is rather nice on a sunny day.

 

The unit is taking shape. At first there's an opening between the Toronto and another unit that needs to be closed in. Since both units share a wall, this wall will have to be fire rated. Along with any wall between a unit and a common area, this wall is the first to be installed in the building. They are called demising walls. By code, they have to be inspected before being closed in.

 

Typically, one side will be built first so that an inspector can make sure they are built to code. Once the installation has been approved, the wall can be closed on the other side. This is to ensure that the building code is respected regarding the smoke and fire rating of the walls as well as sound insulation from one unit to the other. Following the approval from the inspector, the wall is closed in as shown above. At this point a heat recovery unit (HRV), the beige box above on the ceiling, is installed. In this case, the HRV unit is located in the ceiling above the future bathroom. This unit enables users to save energy.

 

This is a similar view after the metal studs have been installed to form the bedroom and the closet that will house a stacked washer and dryer.

 

After that comes the rough-ins, shown above. At this point all the outlets and switches are installed, as well as the main ventilation ducts, plumbing pipes, valves, etc.

 

This is a view of the entry wall with basic framing on the left and the installed demising wall. This wall separates the unit from the corridor. The concrete portion is adjacent to the building's stairs. Only the small opening requires the demising wall which consists of four layers of drywall (2 on each side of the metal studs), insulation, fire rated tape and caulking.

 

Here's a view of the wall behind the future kitchen before the installation of the partition walls.

 

Once the metal studs are installed, you can see the space taking shape. On the left side you can see the wall that will surround the fridge and hide the closet from the living area. You can also see how the kitchen will fit in the space and a portion of the wall in the dining area.

 

After the framing is done, the electrical, mechanical and plumbing crews install their rough-ins for the ventilation, heating, cooling, water services and electrical outlets. The red flexible pipes are for the hot water and the white ones are for the cold water. The pipes in the middle of the image will be for the kitchen sink. The one on the right will be for the washer.

Next on the schedule is the installation of the bulkheads and the drywall. This will make a big difference in the look of the space. The gypsum boards are already in some of the units and should be installed soon.