The New Plex

The New Plex

Redesigning an Old Housing Type

for New Urban Contexts

By Philippe Fournier

Completed as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

Master of Architecture degree

at

McGill University Peter Gua ho Fu School of Architecture

© Philippe Roy Fournier, 2023

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2023

The New Plex

4

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 05

Author’s Note 07

Part 1:

(Re)Introducing the Plex

1.1 The Housing Crisis 14

Red Tape & Yellow Belts

1.2 Multifamily Living 24

The Old New Normal

1.3 Yes in My Backyard 34

The Case for the Plex

Part 2:

(Re)Designing the Plex

Project Outline 48

Design Objectives 50

2.1 Model 1: Habitat Plex 54

Detached Narrow

2.2 Model 2: Sky Plex 62

Attached Narrow

2.3 Model 3: Flex Plex 70

Detached Wide

Conclusions 138

Bibliography 140

List of Figures 144

5

The New Plex

Disclaimer

This document, including all data and information

incorporated herein, is being provided for

information purposes only and is not intended for

and has not been approved for use for construction

at any location. For certainty, the author provides

no representation or warranty regarding any use

of or reliance upon this document, including no

representation or warranty that this document

complies with applicable laws (including any

applicable zoning by-laws or building code

requirements) and no representation or warranty

that any cost estimates included in or based upon

this website have been validated by the applicable

market. Any use of or reliance upon this document

by any person for any purpose shall be at such

person’s sole risk and the author shall have no

liability or responsibility for any such use of or

reliance upon this document by any person for

any purpose. Prior to any use of or reliance upon

this document by any person for any purpose,

consultation with a professional architect duly

licensed in the applicable jurisdiction is strongly

recommended.

6

Acknowledgements

There are many people who deserve thanks for helping

me, in large or subtle ways, to complete this project.

A special thanks goes to my advisor, Philip Tidwell for

all of his support and valuable technical knowledge.

Additional thanks are due to professors Michael

Jemtrud & Avi Friedman for their feedback and

support, and to many other guest critics along the way.

Thank you to all of the extended Fournier family for

welcoming me to Quebec with open arms. Christian,

Melanie, Ariane, Robin, Claudia, Maude, Dani-Pierre,

Claude, Monique, Steve, Valerie, and Mami. Lastly, to

Jacques. I am sad you could not see the final project.

Finally, of course, all thanks go to mom.

7

The New Plex

Author’s Note

I’ve been following the progression of Canada’s

housing crisis intently for years. Like most

Canadians, this is out of necessity, as most of us

have had our lives affected in one way or another

by the runaway costs of living and the raw nerves it

has brought to our political and economic life. But

partly it is due to the fact that long before housing

became the national scandal it is now, I knew what

it meant to be ‘housing insecure.’

I grew up in a single-parent household in relative

poverty by Canadian standards, and despite living

in a small town we were constantly moving, rarely

staying the same place for more than two years at a

time. At various times we lived in city-run housing

among addicts and pests, or with friends and relatives

who had spare rooms, sleeping in basements and on

couches. For some time we opened our apartment

to a friend who had been forced out of her own

home. I also watched one of my close relatives

descend into homelessness. Unlike the majority

of Canadian households who are homeowners, we

never took the ‘Canadian dream’ of single-family

detached homeownership for granted: shared

accommodations and multifamily living were the

norm, and the notion of owning an entire

house for ourselves seemed a far away luxury.

Later when I went out in the world and began to

work in big cities like Toronto, New York and

Vancouver, the state of the market shocked me. In

Toronto finding ‘affordable’ rent meant tolerating

bed bugs. In Vancouver it meant breaking some

rules: I was stuffed behind a bookshelf in the

living room of a two bedroom condo with three

other people, and instructed to move out in the

middle of the night without alerting building

management. In New York it meant hanging a

sheet from some wire to sleep on a bed facing the

kitchen, in an AirBnB shared with two others. Now I

8

understood why we moved around so much as a kid.

These experiences have made me very critical of

prevailing Canadian attitudes towards housing, as

well as the relative inattentiveness that design has

given to spaces like the ones I lived in growing

up. Multifamily buildings in North America are

generally not given the level of care that singlefamily

houses are. They are seen as transitional

homes at best, chosen by economic necessity

rather than preference, and afforded less comfort

as a result. To their builders and owners, they

are seen as spreadsheets for generating revenue,

not architecture. To planners and municipal

politicians, they are blights on “neighborhood

character,” legally relegated through exclusionary

zoning to a minority of city lands in less desirable

areas, out of sight and out of mind. To federal

and provincial politicans, their occupants are a

minority of voters, thus their concerns go ignored

and needs unmet. The unspoken implication is

that people who live in such places don’t matter,

and that nobody in their right mind should want

to. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, since

multifamily living becomes poor by design &

neglect, which reinforces the stigma against it.

I hope to push back on some of these assumptions.

I do not believe multifamily housing must be

unpleasant. The multiplex is a case study of a

multifamily housing type which combines the

pleasantries of single family homes – relative

spaciousness, human scale -- with the higher

densities demanded by contemporary urban living.

They are not a silver bullet to the housing crisis,

but rather a piece of the larger puzzle occupying

an intrinsically interesting space of architectural

possibilities.

--Philippe Fournier

9

Part 1

(Re)Introducing the Plex

The New Plex

A multiplex is a low-rise multifamily

residential building with two or

more separately accessed dwelling

units, built at a similar scale to

a traditional single family house.

12

When paired with accessory units,

multiplexes can multiply the housing

capacity of suburban single family infill

neighbourhoods while retaining a similar

built scale.

13

1.1

The Housing Crisis

Red Tape & Yellow Belts

“Most cities are bound by decades-old exclusionary-zoning rules originally

designed to keep poor people out of favoured districts. It’s still illegal to build

multifamily housing in most urban neighbourhoods in Canada. In Toronto,

two-thirds of residential land is reserved for detached homes. In Vancouver,

apartments...are outlawed on more than 80 per cent of residential land.

The result? Old homes in so-called ‘single-family’ districts near urban amenities

get replaced by multimillion-dollar executive homes, while more affordable

apartments get pushed onto noisy, polluted arterial roads. Two-thirds of

Vancouver’s households now squeeze into just a fifth of the city’s residential land.”

-- Charles Montgomery, “There’s plenty of room for housing in Canadian cities.

We just need to legalize it.” The Globe and Mail, 2022

Canada is currently experiencing a severe housing

affordability crisis, reflected both in skyrocketing

home prices relative to incomes since the mid-

2000s, as well as steadily increasing rents in

almost all major cities, well above the affordability

benchmark used by the Canada Mortgage and

Housing Corporation (CMHC) at 30% of household

income going towards housing costs.

There is consensus among experts that this crisis is

due mostly to a chronic shortage of housing supply.

Per a 2021 report by Scotiabank, Canada has had

both the highest population growth and lowest

per-capita housing stock in the G7 for years. The

CMHC estimates Canada would need an estimated

22 million housing units by 2030 in order to restore

housing affordability to all Canadians, but notes

we are only on track to have less than 19 million

at current rates -- a shortfall of almost 3.5 million.

To add fuel to this fire, average household sizes

in Canada have steadily declined while the total

number of households has grown.

In turn, this shortage can be attributed to widespread

adoption of land-use policies like single-family

zoning, which make it illegal to build anything

other than single family homes ‘as-of-right’ on

the majority of land in most major Canadian cities.

This practice is particularly accute in Toronto and

Vancouver, also our two most exepensive housing

markets, where single family housing makes up

approximately 70% and 81% of residentially-zoned

land respectively as of Spring 2023. In Vancouver,

roughly 52% of the total land supplies only 15%

of its housing stock.

In Toronto this area of land is known as the

‘yellowbelt’ due to its yellow coloration in

the city’s zoning maps. The Greater Toronto-

Hamilton and Greater Vancouver metro areas

14

The Housing Crisis

350%

National home prices

300%

250%

200%

disposable income

150%

100%

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Figure 1. Canada house prices vs disposable income growth since 1975.

15

The New Plex

$20,000

Canada average Calgary Edmonton Montreal

$15,000

$10,000

$5,000

0

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

YEAR

YEAR

YEAR

YEAR

Ottawa Toronto Vancouver Winnipeg

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

$5,000

0

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

YEAR

YEAR

YEAR

YEAR

Average annual rent

30% of median income, the CMHC’s

maximum threshold for affordable housing.

Figure 2. Average annual rents of major cities vs “affordable” rents per the CMHC

combined account for approximately a quarter

of Canada’s population and continue to attract a

large share of Canada’s 500,000 new immigrants

annually, as well as propel economic growth.

As the name implies, single-family zoning

constitutes an effective density cap of one ‘family’

or unit of housing per parcel of land, even if the

land and buildings thereon are large enough to

accomodate more households. Furthermore, even

in neighborhoods where higher densities are

technically allowed, other laws strictly regulating

the architecture of buildings can make it difficult

to design multifamily housing. These laws vary

from one city and neighborhood to another, but can

include: height limits, setbacks from property lines,

minimum parking requirements, lot coverage rules,

maximum floor-area ratios, sightlines, roof angles,

tree coverage rules, unit composition mandates,

amenity requirements, or even aesthetic rules on

materiality and window and door placement. While

any of these regulations may have good rationale

or intentions, in the aggregrate they amount to a

tangled web of red tape that makes building housing

more difficult, risky and costly than it needs to be --

often prohibitively so. While this project focuses on

the Canadian context as a case study, this problem

is endemic to many other jurisdictions around the

world, particularly in former British colonies and

including most cities in the United States.

In addition to zoning most of their residential land

16

The Housing Crisis

550

500

G7 Average

Units per 1,000 persons

450

400

Canada Average

350

300

Province

NL

NS

QC

NB

PE

SK

BC

MB

AB

ON

% of Canada’s

Population

1.4% 2.6% 22.3% 2.1% 0.4% 3.1% 13.7% 3.6% 11.7% 38.8%

Figure 3. Canada home-to-population ratio vs. G7 average

# of Households (Millions)

People per Household

Figure 4. Canada Household Sizes vs Number of Households

17

The New Plex

Figure 5. ‘Yellowbelts:’ Single Family Zoning in Major Canadian Cities as of 2018

18

The Housing Crisis

Figure 6. The ‘Greenbelt’ around Greater Toronto-Hamilton. Buildings shown in black

exclusively for single family homes, most cities

in North America practice ‘Euclidian’ zoning,

enforcing a strict separation between residential

land use from commercial and other uses. In

Toronto designated mixed-use lands -- which also

permit relatively unrestricted densities -- constitute

a small minority of overall land and are relegated

mostly in the downtown core or major arterial

roads, where land is already intrinsically expensive.

It is also coloured ‘red’ on the city’s official zoning

maps. For many cities, further outward expansion

through suburban sprawl is not a viable option.

Aside from being environmentally destructive, many

cities have either natural geographic boundaries

(such as the mountains, ocean and American border

in Vancouver) or legally imposed urban growth

boundaries like Ontario’s greenbelts around Ottawa

and the Greater Toronto-Niagara region. The merits

of such policies can be debated, but the important

point is that they restrict the supply of developable

land near major urban centres, which is already

limited. With no room to grow out, cities must grow

up to provide more housing supply.

19

The New Plex

Figure 7. ‘Orangebelts:’ Zoning Reforms in Major Canadian Cities

20

The Housing Crisis

Urban scholar Sonia Hirt has done comparative

studies of land use policies among developed

nations and notes that Euclidian zoning is

practically non-existant in Europe, where most

land is zoned for mixed use by default. This has

significant consequences for urban walkability, car

use and transit ridership, as research in Sweden by

Erik Ellder suggests that the significant factor in

people’s willingness to get out of their cars is close

proximity to amenities used in daily life -- cafes,

grocers, restaurants, gyms, laundromats, and other

things -- rather than just residential density. This

also has consequences for the city’s property tax

base: research by data anaytics firm Urban3 has

found that dense and mixed-use properties generate

the overwhelming share of a city’s property tax

revenue, whereas single-use low density zones

tend to be a net drain on city finances, receiving a

tacit subsidy from more productive property. Lastly,

allowing mixing of uses could improve the financial

feasibility of developing ‘missing middle’ and midrise

density buildings, since commercial spaces can

lease for significantly higher rents.

Recognizing the problems of single-family zoning,

many jursidictions across the globe have begun

formally repealing it to allow multiplex construction

Figure 8. Diagram of Toronto’s Euclidian Land Use Patterns

Recognizing the problems of single-family zoning,

many jursidictions across the globe have begun

formally repealing it to allow multiplex construction

‘as of right’ across single family zoned land. The

maps opposite show the status of some of the

prominent reforms in Canada that have passed in

recent years or are in the process of being advanced.

The following pages show reforms across global

jurisdictions.

21

The New Plex

22

The Housing Crisis

Figure 9. Major Single Family Zoning Repeals: Jurisdictional Levels

23

1.2

Multifamily Living

The Old New Normal

“Where the discipline of architectural history has had difficulty, is in dealing with the

rest of the built environment, typically 90% or more of the built record. While middle

class housing, particularly single family detached, has had some success in benefiting

from trickle down of theoretical concepts, particularly stylistic, the urban vernacular

has gone largely unnoticed or considered to be not worth of treatment...

How does such a systematic blind spot arise? Perhaps the obsession with singlefamily

housing in twentieth century North America has conditioned researchers to

ignore other forms of housing, excepting...apartment buildings because of their

sheer bulk and the fact that they tend to be architect-designed...Clearly what has

been missed are the deep cultural and historical roots of such housing and

their powerful signficiance in terms of generating eminently habitable lowcost

housing in dense yet human scale neighborhoods.”

--David B Hanna & François Dufaux,

Montreal: A Rich Tradition in Medium Density Housing

Multiplexes are an example of ‘missing middle’

housing, a term coined by Daniel Parolek to describe

the lack of housing options in many North American

cities between the extremes of spacious single family

detached houses and dense units in apartment towers.

Partly due to zoning and other government policies,

single-family homes have been the predominant

dwelling type for a majority of households in the US

and Canada for several generations, with profound

effect on their national cultures and identities. Many

people now take this style of housing for granted

and identify its ownership as a baseline standard of

living and a symbol of personal success. As of 2021,

single-family detached houses account for 52.6% of

all occupied private dwellings in Canada. The next

largest category, ‘apartment buildings below 5 storeys’

-- which would include most multiplexes -- accounts

only for 18.3%. Counting an additional 5.5% found

within duplexes, multiplexes currently account for

a total of 23.8% of Canada’s building stock, though

are overwhelmingly concentrated in Quebec. Yet

historically and globally, single-family detached

houses are an anomaly housing typology rather

than the norm. Even in North America, where

their cultural footprint is particularly profound,

they did not become commonplace until the

push towards mass suburbanization after World

War 2. At the turn of the 20th century, waves of

rapid industrialization and immigration brought

unprecedented housing demand to major cities

like New York, Boston, Chicago and Montreal.

The task of accomodating these rapidly expanding

working-class populations fell largely to small

private builders, and multiplex-style homes

became a popular living arrangement, often

with the builders themselves living in one of the

units while renting out the others. Each region

developed a unique vernacular spin shaped

by local regulations, material availability and

craftsmanship. In this chapter I analyze & contrast

four historic North American multiplex typologies.

24

Multifamily Living

Figure 10. Canadian Households by Building Type

25

The New Plex

Montreal ‘Plex’

Montreal, QC, Canada

1870-1930

3 storeys, 4 units, 6 bedrooms

Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:

Construction / Materials:

Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:

Bedroom Window Egress:

190m 2

53.6%

1.61

3 + basement

305.5m 2 (3,288 ft 2 )

50.9m 2

front facade doors

& balconies

wood frame, limestone & brick

masonry. Catalogue ordered

stairs, parapets, components

No

Part 3, Group C

2 exterior

Bedrooms must be at front and

rear only; require fenestration

Montreal is unique among North American

cities for having a large concentration and

variety of missing middle housing stock.

About 40% of Montreal’s existing building

stock consists of ‘apartments under 5 stories’

including multiplexes. The iconic historic ‘plex’

is distinguished by its unique, often twisting

exterior staircases and balconies which provide

most of the vertical circulation to upper floor

unit doors located directly on the exterior

facade. This maximizes interior leasable area

and minimizes the amount of heated unoccupied

space. However, the exterior staircases become

very precarious in poor weather. Units typically

take up the full depth of the floor plate, with

bathrooms centrally located and aligned to share

chase walls with a drain pipe from the roof.

26

Multifamily Living

3rd Floor

Unit 3

1-bd

Unit 4

1-bd

2nd Floor

Unit 2

2-bd

1st Floor

Unit 1

2-bd

Circulation

Residence

98.9%

Section

Net Leaseable

27

The New Plex

Chicago ‘Three-Flat’

Chicago, USA

1900-1920


Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:


Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:


290m 2

29.6%

0.88

3 + basement

257.4m 2 (2,771 ft 2 )

42.9m 2

from front interior stair well

wood frame, limestone & brick

masonry

Yes

Part 3, Group C

1 interior, 1 ext

Side setbacks required for side

bedroom fenestration

Chicago’s vernacular multiplex type came in

the form of the ‘two flat’ and ‘three flat,’ and

even sometimes ‘four flat’ and above, named

for their respective unit counts. The standard

arrangement is to have a single shared interior

stairwell leading to all units from the front porch

entrance, with the nearly-identical stacked units

taking up the rest of each floor. A secondary,

exterior metal or wood fire escape would be

provided at the rear. The typical Chicago lot

around this time is narrow and long because

a garage would commonly be provided at the

far rear of the site. Characteristically, local

Illinois or Indiana limestone would be used

on the facade, also lending them the nickname

‘greystones.’ Interior layouts would typically

place the kitchen at the rear and common living

quarters at the front, with bedrooms loaded

along the sides off of these rooms.

28

Multifamily Living

3rd Floor

Unit 3

2-bd

2nd Floor

Unit 2

2-bd

1st Floor

Unit 1

2-bd

Circulation

Residence

88.6%

Section

Net Leaseable

29

The New Plex

New England ‘Triple-Decker’

New England, USA

1900-1920


Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:


Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:


239.1m 2

56.1%

1.69

3 + basement

402.9m 2 (4,377 ft 2 )

44.8m 2

interior from from stairwell,

accessed from front door

light wood, balloon or platform

framing

Yes

Part 3, Group C

2 interior



During post-civil war America, New England

became a major draw for waves of immigration

due to its textile industry. Boston, Providence,

New Bedford and various small mill towns

developed this unique wood frame typology to

accomodate them. An interior stairwell at the

front and back are provided to access the three

identical three-bedroom units, each of which

takes up a full floor. Bedrooms and the bathrooms

are loaded along one side of the building, while

the other side is given over to shared spaces

like dining rooms, living rooms, and pantries

for food preparation. Typically each unit also

has a porch or balcony at the front and back,

accessed off the stairwells. At their peak, they

comprised about 2/3 of the housing stock in cities

like New Bedford. They became seen as symbols

of the working class, inspiring resentment among

elites at the time. They declined in popularity as

local textile industry declined in the 20s, or were

banned by stringent fire codes in some places.

30

Multifamily Living

3rd Floor

Unit 3

3-bd

2nd Floor

Unit 2

3-bd

1st Floor

Unit 1

3-bd

Circulation

Residence

89%

Section

Net Leaseable

31

The New Plex

Sears Modern Homes ‘Atlanta’

Various Cities, USA

1921-1934


Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:


Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:


varies

varies

varies

2 + basement

331.6m 2 (3,569 ft 2 )

41.5m 2

Interior from common corridor


Kit of parts: numbered precut

wood frame & components

mailed to site

Yes

Part 9, Division B

1 interior, 1 exterior



The Atlanta was one of many designs included

in the Sears & Roebuck Company’s Modern

Homes catalogue, which from 1908 - 1934

offered predesigned kit-of-parts homes that

could be ordered in the mail, shipped to site

then erected by the owner. Most of the Modern

Homes catalogue were single family homes,

but the Atlanta was one of a few multifamily

home designs, with four 2-bedroom units total

in two storeys + a shared basement accessed

from the exterior rear for storage. All four units

can be accessed from a central single-run stair

corridor off of the main front door. A lightwell

is provided at the centre to allow natural light

to penetrate the interior as well as allow some

natural ventilation. Bedrooms are loaded at the

side, bathrooms are centred beside the light well,

kitchens are at the rear while an open plan living

and dining room opens to the front porch and

balconies. A common exterior porch structure

with stairs at the rear also provides egress.

32

Multifamily Living

2nd Floor

Unit 3

2-bd

Unit 4

2-bd

1st Floor

Unit 1

2-bd Unit 2

2-bd

Circulation

Residence

95.2%

Section

Net Leaseable

33

1.3

Yes in My Back Yard

The Case for the Plex

Densification

Figure 11: Canadian City Densities vs Global Cities

I argue multiplexes should be the baseline density

floors for ‘as of right’ construction in most practical

circumstances in North America. In addition to

expanding housing supply, multiplexes have many

advantages as a housing type which make them

uniquely timely, resilient, environmentally sensitive

and adapatable to many different urban contexts.

This is not an argument against permitting higher

‘as-of-right’ densities, nor against advancing

more aggressive zoning reforms, which should

be welcomed. Rather, this is simply to illustrate

that in form and scale, multiplexes already

conform to the established built character of most

suburban neighborhoods. Since multiplexes can

be built at a similar scale to single family houses,

they can greatly increase the density of existing

neighborhoods without significantly changing the

established built character. This helps pre-empt

NIMBY challenges while preserving the sense of

stability that motivates much community activism

against neighborhood changes. Some may question

if multiplexes can achieve unit counts demanded

of the scale of the housing crisis, or the densities

required for cities to maintain good fiscal health

and efficient infrastructure delivery. We can

look to a famous neighborhood dominated by

muliplexes as a case study: Le Plateau Mont Royal

in Montreal. A primarily residential neighborhood,

most of the building stock consists of old attached

multiplexes ranging two-five stories in height.

Local zoning forbids buildings above five stories

in height on most of the land in the neighborhood,

yet the neighborhood is among the most densely

populated in North America, and even more densely

populated than major global cities like New York

and Singapore.

34

Yes in My Back Yard

Figure 12 Zoning Map of Le Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal

35

The New Plex

Low Embodied Carbon

Figure 13 Embodied Carbon of Common Building Materials

Increasing awareness of the ‘embodied carbon’

of buildings -- emissions associated with the

manufacture and transport of building materials

during the construction process -- poses a dilemma

for environmentally conscious advocates of

increased building supply. Builders seeking to

reduce their embodied carbon are increasingly

looking towards have biogenic and plant-based

building materials such as wood and cellulose.

Furtunately, Canada already has a well-established

tradition of wood building, as indeed the majority

of its building stock is light wood frame. Light

wood frame in turn is one of the best structural

systems for sequestering carbon into buildings,

storing far more carbon over the building lifecycle

than is released to produce it. Since multiplexes

fall within the category of buildings conducive to

simple wood frame construction, they can help

increase overall building supply with far lower

carbon output -- or net carbon savings -- than larger

buildings which tend to be built with concrete and

steel. While recent changes to the building code

permit large buildings in Canada to be made of

wood products like mass timber, the Canadian

building industry has so far been slow to adopt

the technology. The case for carbon sequestration

in building materials becomes stronger when the

longevity of buildings are factored in. The longer

the carbon is stored in the material, the longer it is

not in the atmosphere. Here again we can look to

Le Plateau Mont Royal as a case study due to its

abundance of plex housing. The building map right

shows the age of the neighborhood building stock,

with many plexes still in use dating over a century

old. The Plateau is considered one of the most

desirable neighborhoods in the city and residents

take much care to maintain the many plexes in a

good state of repair.

36

Yes in My Back Yard

Figure 14: Age of Buildings in Le Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal

37

The New Plex

Figure 15: Canadian Wood Construction Categories

Ease of Construction

In Canada, buildings of residential occupancy,

below 3 storeys and below 600 m2 in total area

fall under ‘Part 9’ of the National Building Code,

designating buildings of relatively small and

simple construction. Most single family homes fall

under this category and multiplexes can likewise.

Furthermore per the provisions of the Architects’

Act and other applicable laws, many building

projects under this category may not require the

professional services of an architect, though other

duly licensed professionals or technologist may

be, with regulations varying from province to

province (readers should consult applicable laws

in their respective jurisdictions for verification).

Residential buildings under Part 9 also tend

overwhelmingly to be made of light wood

frame, a well established construction trade

with an abundant pool of capable labour.

This puts the building of many multiplexes within

the domain of relatively small builders, contractors,

and home renovators. The more hands on deck to

produce supply, the better.

38

Yes in My Back Yard

Figure 16: City of Toronto Unit Construction by Bedroom Count & Building Type

Family-Sized Units

Single family detached homes continue to be in

high demand despite demographic trends, not only

because of the spaciousness and autonomy they offer,

but also the fact that they supply the overwhelming

majority of ‘family sized’ dwelling units, here

defined as 3+ bedrooms, as well as their high rates

of owner-occupancy relative to other dwelling types.

The vast majority of new units supplied in urban

high-rise buildings are two bedrooms or less. While

this does reflect demographic and market pressures,

it underserves the market for homeseekers who

desire a middle ground of family-sized unit types in

urban areas. Multiplexes and other ‘missing middle’

typologies can fill the gap, providing units that

are larger than condos while incorporating many

amenities desired of single-family surburban life

such as yard access and spacious interiors.

39

The New Plex

Figure 17. Multigenerational Living In the Same Triplex Over Time

Multigenerational Homes

Multiplexes are inherently adaptable, allowing for

many types of tenureship, as well as the potential for

multigenerational living. Different units in the same

building can be owned or rented, or both. Historically,

it was common for owners and sometimes builders

of multiplex housing to live in one of the units and

rent out the others. There are many ways to adapt the

building over time without significant demolition, such

as by combining or dividing units, when demanded

by changing demographics, market demand, owner

needs or the needs of their family members.

40

Yes in My Back Yard

Figure 18. Potential for Dispersed Amenity Provision in Multiplex Neighbourhoods

Introducing Amenities

Multiplexes have an inherent formal flexibility

because of their multi-unit configurations: different

units can be easily converted to different layouts and

uses over time without disrupting activities in the

other units. In Montreal there are many examples

of multiplexes being converted to mixed uses.

This provides opportunities for residential

neighborhoods which currently practice strict

Euclidian zoning and separations of use. As

multiplexes become proliferated throughout

formerly single-use, single-family neighborhoods,

the possibilities for future, relatively inexpensive

and low-intensity mixed use conversions multiplies.

While allowing these conversions requires

approporiate zoning reform, the presence of

easily adaptable building stock provides the pipes

for future capital investment to flow through as

legalization turns on the taps.

41

The New Plex

‘Too Soft’ Densification

Some cities have moved to permit ‘soft density’

options for homeowners to build limited, small

new units in single-family areas. These options

include secondary suites, backyard suites and

laneway suites as well as the conversion of existing

homes to rooming houses. To simplify, I category

all these unit types as ‘accessory units.’ However,

the motivating logic behind these options is to

fundamentally preserve the existing built form and

prestige of single family neighbourhoods, ‘hiding’

the residents of the secondary units (who are likely

to be less affluent) out of sight. While these options

should certainly be legal and do supplement supply,

42

they are manifestly insufficient to the meeting the

targets laid out by bodies like the CMHC to achieve

affordability. Consider this case study to illustrate.

The diagrams to the right show the range of options

(as of 2022) for legally redeveloping a standard

20’ wide residential property with a single family

home in the Toronto yellowbelt. In each case, the

maximum household count of the site never exceeds

two, and form restrictions on the secondary units

greatly limit the bedroom and resident count. The

households themselves are by necessity small or, in

the case of the rooming house, crowded.

Yes in My Back Yard

43

The New Plex

Figure 19. Change in Condo, House Sizes in Ontario over Time

Now consider options for the same property (images

right side) if the existing home is allowed to be

demolished and replaced with a higher-density home,

in this case standard attached Montreal ‘plexes’ as

well as backyard suites. The overall household and

bedroom capacity of the site multiplies, without the

buildings ever exceeding three full storeys in height.

Laws which greatly restrict the redevelopment

opportunities of single family properties give rise

to the lucrative industry of wildly speculative,

cosmetic “house flipping.” Property investors

seeking a return have limited options: since they

cannot increase the net supply of housing stock,

they can either bid up the cost of the existing

housing stock, replace an existing home with a more

luxurious home, or convert homes to rentals. Rental

conversions such as rooming houses can increase

the avilable rental stock and provide a cheap option

for tenants, but this comes at the expense of privacy

and the potential for overcrowding, especially if

44

licensing rules are uncertain and poorly enforced.

An even more lucrative option for many investors

is to simply convert properties into illicit short-term

hotels like Airbnb. Poor enforcement of regulations

as well as property tax codes which treat Airbnbs

as residential rather than higher-tax commercial

properties can exacerbate the phenomenon. Partly

due to these factors and others, the average detached

single family home size in Ontario has increased

25% since the 1990s while new condo units have

shrunk. This is concerning as Canadian household

sizes are decreasing while the overall number of

households are increasing. This means single family

properties are taking up even more space to house

less people. Many parts of Toronto’s Yellowbelt

are now depopulating despite surging demand. In

Vancouver, the 52% of city land zoned exclusively

for single family homes and duplexes (constituting

81% of residentially zoned land) only house 15%

of the population.

Yes in My Back Yard

45

Part 2

(Re)Designing the Plex

The New Plex

Project Outline

Narrow Lot

<25’

Wide Lot

36’ - 40’

Detached

Custom

Model 01:

Habitat Plex

Attached

Custom

Model 02:

Sky Plex

Detached

Custom

Model 03:

Flex Plex

Attached

Very rare at this

lot size; building

would fall into

‘small apartment’

scale category

This portion of the book proposes 3 of my own

new custom designed multiplexes. Similar to the

historic precedent types discussed in Part 1, these

three designs can be thought of as new ‘types,’ in

that they are intended to be standardized templates

that could potentially be mass-replicated on many

sites with minor augmentations, rather than one-off

projects tailored to a specific context.

The designs address three ‘typical’ infill site

conditions: detached on a narrow (25’) site, attached

on a narrow site, and detached on a wide site (40’).

These dimensions were chosen after consulting data

on suburban lot sales in the Greater Toronto Area

in the past few years, which showed the weighted

average width for all lots sold was 25’, while the

majority of all detached house sales involved lots

36’ wide or more, with 52% occuring in the range

of 36’ - 40’ alone.

Narrow and wide sites represent urban and

suburban neighbourhood contexts respectively,

while the detached or attached condition reflects the

building’s relationship to its neighbour, which will

impact internal circulation, fire egress, bedroom

layouts, passive lighting and thermoregulatory

strategies. For all three designs I imposed a set

of design objectives, shown on the following

48

Figure 20. CMHC House Design Catalogues

pages. Key among these were to use low-rise light

wood frame assemblies to keep their construction

relatively simple, low-carbon and low-cost with

potential for prefab manufacturing.

This idea for preparing a ‘catalogue’ of standardized

(yet adaptable) designs was inspired by historic

catalogues that the Canadian government issued in

the postwar decades. The CMHC hired architects

to design catalogues of house plans, which were

then distributed to private builders. Though mostly

single family houses, at least one catalogue was

made for duplexes, though it was mainly marketed

in Quebec.

The predesigned catalogue represents a decentralized,

‘all hands on deck’ model for mass homebuilding.

By standardizing designs, professional expertise

is enlisted upfront to pre-empt excess costs that

can be incurred by unsophisticated bespoke

construction, as well as establishing a high baseline

level of building performance. However, by being

prescriptive rather than binding, they allow private

builders the freedom to adapt them as they see

fit to meet their desires, market demand and site

specific conditions.

49

The New Plex

Design Objectives

Minimum Unit Count:

Fourplex (4)

Four Units minimum per plex, more if possible

Max Height:

4 Storeys

Part 3

Part 9

3 storeys above grade, not counting basements &

Attics. For ease of wood construction. 3+ storeys

require two means of egress. 3+ storeys require

elevators

NBCC Designations:

Part 9: <3 Floors above grade

Part 3: 3+ Floors above grade

Maximize Passive Potential

Incoporate natural ventilation, lighting and heat

retention as much as possible. Incorporate lowimpact

mechanical systems, power generation

50

1 Family Sized Unit Minimum

(1x) 3+ Bedroom Units

Incorporate at least one 3+ bedroom unit

approporiate for families

Standardize Volumes for Efficiency:

Kit-of-Parts & Panelized Prefab Potential

Incorporate efficient layouts, grids, stacking of

similar components

Sustainable Materials:

Wood Structures, Biogenic Products

Light wood frame or CLT panel structure

Biogenic Insulation & Building Products where

possible

Interrogate Planning & Code Regulations:

Identify Regulatory Barriers

Each proposal will draw attention to and question

regulations that affect design of multiplexes, both

planning & code

51

The New Plex

+

Single Family + Accessory

2 Total

10-minute walking radius

around rail transit stops;

includes projects planned for

completion by 2033.

Site Selection

There are strong arguments that the currentlytabled

multiplex reforms in cities like Toronto and

Vancouver, while certainly welcome, do not go

far enough to both meet housing demand or curb

suburban sprawl on their own. This project agrees,

and welcomes more sweeping zoning reforms to

speed up and increase housing supply. There will

be many sites where multiplexes make economic

sense, but others were far higher densities should

be allowed. The most obvious sites to promote

more densification are lands within short walking

distance to rapid transit stations and other major

public investments. ‘Transit-Oriented Development’

is based on the principles that maximizing the

number of people and businesses who have close

access to such transport nodes improves ridership,

reduces car use and helps cities recoup their

investment costs through improved tax productivity.

Furthermore since transit stops typically inflate

nearby land values, in the absense of some land

value capture taxation scheme, zoning which

limits development near transit stops provides

a windfall subsidy to nearby landowners.

In Toronto, most densification is only permitted on

lots along major arterial roads, usually not even on

52

Sky Plex

Narrow + Attached

Habitat Plex

Narrow + Detached

Flex Plex

Wide + Detached

Fourplex + Accessory

5 units Total

Toronto Draft Plan Amendment

(pending, 2023)

+

+

Duplex + Accessory

3 units Total

or

Triplex

3 Total

Ontario Bill 23 (Passed 2022)

properties that immediately abut these high-density

zones. This results in many ‘yellowbelt’ areas of

low density single-family homes falling within a

ten minute walk of major transit stops, as shown

in the map above, opposite This is an extremely

inefficient use of both the land and by extension

the taxpayer money invested in the transit system,

which will be underused relative to its capacity so

long as building supply in close proximity is not

maximized. One of Toronto’s existng subway lines,

Line 4, loses $10 per passenger due to low ridership.

Therefore for this project, I focus my case studies

on yellowbelt sites that are outside these ten-minute

walk zones. These outside zones are not necessarily

poorly served by transit, however; they typically

are well connected to streetcars and bus routes,

and within walking or biking distance to arterials.

Furthermore, introducing mixed commercial uses

and other amenities within these zones can improve

their walkability and thereby reduce the number

local car trips. Generally the higher capacity

the transit service, the higher density should be

promoted around it.

53

2.1

Model 01

Narrow + Detached

Habitat Plex

3.5 storeys, 6 units, 9 bedrooms

Optional Accessory Unit

Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:


Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:


varies

varies

varies

3.5

412.3 m 2 (4438 ft 2 )

45.8m 2

Interior from common stairwell


light wood frame

Yes

Part 3, Group C

1 interior, 1 exterior (rear)



The Habitat Plex is a six-unit model which uses

a staggered split-level strategy to maximize

density. Micro-studio units at the front are

accessed from a main stairwell inside the front

door, while the larger rear units have entrances

in the stairwell but also have a required second

means of egress via exits onto an exterior stair

connecting the rear yard to a rooftop garden.

Each rear unit also has a private garden balcony

staggered from the unit below to form a series

of stepped terraces descending to the rear yard.

A common, shared basement area is avilable

for common storage and utilities. All units can

share the rear yard and rooftop terrace. The

largest unit, a family sized three bedroom, opens

directly at grade to the rear yard. Windows &

bedroom doors of rear units are always aligned

to allow cross-ventilation. 0.9m side setbacks

are provided at both ends of the site, the standard

for detached houses. Toronto zoning arbitrarily

demands a wider 1.2m side setback for plexes,

but 0.9m is the sufficient minimum to provide

fire department access to the laneway suite at

the rear.

54

Habitat Plex

Unit 6

1-bd

Unit 5

studio

Unit 4

2-bd

Unit 3

studio

Unit 2

3-bd

Unit 1

studio

Circulation

Residence

88.8%

Section

Net Leaseable

55

The New Plex

LANEWAY

GREENLAW AVE

ASHBURY RD

ST CLARENS AVE

LANEWAY

0 50m 100m

Address:

Neighbourhood:

Lot Size:

Lot Area:

Price (February 2023):

Units:

Beds:

Features:

20 Greenlaw Ave

Corso Italia-Davenport

7.6m x 45.1m (25’ x 148’)

343.7 m 2 (3700 ft 2 )

$1,600,000

1

3

Rear Laneway Access

Rooming House Allowance

Location

Case Study Property Data

Toronto Map

56

Habitat Plex

Zone:

Front Setback:

Side Setbacks:

Rear Setback:

Max FSI:

Max height (current):

Max height (draft bylaw):

Max bldg depth (current):

Max bldg depth (draft bylaw):

Red: noncompliant

R

Avg of neighbours, or 6m

0.9m house, 1.2m plexes

1m (laneway suite)

0.6

4 storeys, 10m

10m

14m

17m

Gross Floor Area (GFA):

Net Leasable Area (NLA):

Floor Space Index (FSI):

Lot Coverage:

Depth:

Height:

Laneway Suite GFA:

Total Site GFA:

Total Site NLA:

Total Site FSI:

412.3 m 2 (4438 ft 2 )

366.3 m 2 (3943 ft 2 ) = 88.8%

1.19

162.2 m 2 (1746 ft 2 )

29.78 m 2

9.58 m

30.9 m 2 (333.5 ft 2 )

443.2 m 2 (4771 ft 2 )

397.2 m 2 (4275 ft 2 )

1.29

Zoning

Proposal

57

The New Plex

laneway

laneway

green roof

UP

+0.00m

+2.88m

DN

UP

UNIT 2

3-bedroom

UNIT 4

2-bedroom

+0.00m

+2.88m

UP

DN

UP

DN

-1.44m

+1.44m

UNIT 1

studio

-1.44m

UNIT 3

studio

DN

UP

+0.00m

DN

UP

+0.00m

Greenlaw Ave

Greenlaw Ave

Units 1 + 2 Units 3 + 4

58

Habitat Plex

laneway

laneway

+5.76m

DN

UP

UNIT 6

1-bedroom

green roof

DN

+8.64m

terrace

+5.76m

green roof

UP

DN

+4.32m

UNIT 5

studio

Greenlaw Ave

Units 5 + 6

Greenlaw Ave

Roof Plan

59

The New Plex

Property Line

1m rear setback for ADU

7m setback for 2 storey ADU

Min. 5m ADU Setback

UNIT 4

2-bedroom

UNIT 6

1-bedroom

Green Roof

UNIT 7

studio

UNIT 2

3-bedroom

Garden

Terrace

Living /

Dining /

Kitchen

Garden

Terrace

Living /

Dining /

Kitchen

Laneway Suite

Common Yard

Garden

Terrace

Living /

Dining /

Kitchen

Bedroom

Shared Storage & Utilities

Zoning Box

Unit Separations

60

Habitat Plex

Roof Terrace

UNIT 5

studio

Front

Property Line

Green Roof

Bedroom

W.C.

W.C.

Living /

Bedroom /

Kitchen

Bedroom

Bedroom

W.C.

W.C.

Living /

Bedroom /

Kitchen

Bedroom

Bedroom

W.C.

W.C.

Living /

Bedroom /

Kitchen

UNIT 1

studio

UNIT 3

studio

61

2.2

Model 02

Narrow + Attached

Sky Plex

3.5 storeys, 6 units, 10 bedrooms


Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:


Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:


varies

varies

varies

3.5

402.1m 2 (4328 ft 2 )

40.2 m 2

each unit has direct exterior

access door

light wood frame

No

Part 3, Group C

each unit has direct ext. door

Must be loaded at front and

rear

The Sky Plex is a six-unit model designed for

narrow sites where side setbacks are not required,

allowing the building to comprise the full width

of the lot. The Sky Plex addresses several major

difficulties of designing multi-unit homes for

narrow attached sites: passive thermoregulation,

passive lighting, proper fenestration and

satisfying the code requirement for fire egress.

Doors to the upper units are provided centrally

along a portico along one side of the building so

that they can exit directly to the exterior, while

doors to the split level basement and first floor

units are provided with their own exterior stairs

from grade. The portico also provides required

fire department access to the rear yard, allowing

for a potential backyard garden suite. The two

3-bedroom upper floor units span two storeys

internally each, and are provided with operable

skylights above the stairwell both to provide

ample natural lighting and stack-effect buoyancy

ventilation into the deepest part of the unit. The

top floor bedrooms have private terrace spaces.

The basement contains a common central storage

and uility space and is accessible from exterior

stairs.

62

Sky Plex

3rd Floor

Unit 5

3-bd

Unit 6

3-bd

2nd Floor

Unit 5

3-bd

Unit 4

2-bd

Unit 6

3-bd

1st Floor

Unit 3

1-bd

Basement

Unit 1

1-bd

Unit 6

3-bd

Circulation

Residence

100%

Section

Net Leaseable

63

The New Plex

DUNDAS ST W

ST JOHNS RD

CLENDENAN AVE

QUEBEC AVE

LAWS ST

0 50m 100m

Address:

Neighbourhood:

Lot Size:

Lot Area:


Units:

Beds:

Features:

469 Clendenan

The Junction

7.6m x 48.8m (25’ x 160’)

371.6 m 2 (4000 ft 2 )

$1,969,000

1

5

Garden Suite Option

Rooming House Allowance

Location


Toronto Map

64

Sky Plex

Zone:

Front Setback:

Side Setbacks:

Rear Setback:

Max FSI:





Red: noncompliant

R

Avg of neighbours

0.9m house, 1.2m plexes

1m (Garden Suite)

0.6

10m

10m

14m

17m




Lot Coverage:

Depth:

Height:

Garden Suite GFA:

Total Site GFA:

Total Site NLA:

Total Site FSI:

402.1m 2 (4328 ft 2 )

402.1m 2 (4328 ft 2 ) = 100%

1.08

125.7 m 2 (1353 ft 2 )

17m

10.96 m

45.5 m 2 (490.1 ft 2 )

447.6 m 2 (4818.3 ft 2 )

447.6 m 2 (4818.3 ft 2 )

1.20

Zoning

Proposal

65

UNIT 7

1-bedroom

common

yard

+0.00m

UP

DN

UP

DN

-2.88m

+1.44m

-1.44m

+1.44m

UNIT 2

1-bedroom

UNIT 4

1-bedroom

+0.00m

UNIT 6

3-bedroom

storage/

utilities

UP

UP

-2.88m

UNIT 5

3-bedroom

+1.44m

UNIT 1

1-bedroom

portico

UNIT 3

1-bedroom

DN

UP

-2.88m

+1.44m

-1.44m

+0.00m

UP

DN

Basement Level 1

66

green roof

+4.32m

UNIT 6

3-bedroom

UNIT 6

3-bedroom

+7.20m

DN

DN

UP

UP

DN

DN

open to below

open to below

skylights

skylights

+7.20m

+4.32m

UNIT 5

3-bedroom

UNIT 5

3-bedroom

terraces

Level 2 Level 3

67

The New Plex

Property Line

Front

UNIT 5

3-bedroom

Green Roof

Operable Skylights

UNIT 6

3-bedroom

Green Roof

Max depth (17m)

Bedroom

Bedroom

Living /

Dining /

Kitchen

Living /

Dining /

Kitchen

Bedroom

WC

W.C.

Bedroom

Bedroom

WC

WC

Bedroom

Storage

& Utilities

UNIT 3

1-bedroom

UNIT 1

1-bedroom

UNIT 4

1-bedroom

UNIT 2

1-bedroom

Zoning Box

Unit Separations

68

Sky Plex

5m setback for ADU

7m setback for 2 storey ADU

1/2 height rear setback for ADU

Property Line

Green Roof

Garden Suite

UNIT 7

1-bedroom

69

2.3

Model 03

Wide + Detached

Flex Plex

1.5-2.5 storeys, 4-8 units, 8-14 bedrooms


Lot Area:

Coverage:

FAR:

Storeys:

GFA:

GFA / Bedrooms:

Unit Access:


Detached?

NBCC Division:

Means of Egress:


varies

varies

varies

1.5 - 2.5

332.9 m 2 - 500m 2

varies

each unit has direct exterior

access door

light wood frame

No

Part 9

each unit has direct ext. door

Loadable against all exterior

walls

The Flex Plex is not one design, but rather a

system for generating many designs using

modular unit plans that can be configured in

many combinations within the same 2-3 storey

building form and chase wall layouts. Using

a typical 40’ wide lot as a basis, a dimension

constituting over half of GTA lots sold in recent

years, and assuming a maximally restrictive

RD-Zone setback requirement, I use the resulting

permissible building footprint as the basis for

generating unit types, each sized to be either

half the width or depth of the footprint, though

always accessible directly to the exterior from

walkup steps at the front or rear. The building

can be maximally divided into four ‘quadrants’

with loadbearing chase walls running midway

along the width and depth. All plumbing and

mechanical fixtures within units must load along

these demising and exterior walls to maximize

efficiency. Exterior finishing material is left up to

the builder. Builders have the option of leaving

quadrants empty as ‘flex space’ to provide

amenities, storage or commercial uses.

70

Flex Plex

Unit 7

studio

Unit 6

studio

Unit 8

studio

Unit 5

studio

1st Floor

Unit 3

studio

Unit 1

studio

Unit 4

studio

Basement

Unit 2

studio

Circulation

Residence

100%

Section

Net Leaseable

71

The New Plex

MANHATTAN DR

AINSDALE DR

WARDEN AVE

LILIAN DR

TWIN PAULS CR

0 50m 100m

Address:

Neighbourhood:

Lot Size:

Lot Area:


Units:

Beds:

Features:

1251 Warden Ave

Wexford / Maryville

12.2m x 38.1m (40’ x 125’)

464.5 m 2 (5000 ft 2 )

$1,099,000

1

6

Garden Suite Option

Location


Toronto Map

72

Flex Plex

Zone:

Front Setback:

Side Setbacks:

Rear Setback:

Max FSI:





RD

Avg of neighbours

1.2m

1m (Garden Suite)

None

10m

10m

14m

17m




Lot Coverage:

Depth:

Height:

333 m 2 - 500m 2

333 m 2 - 500m 2 = 100%

0.72 - 1.08

166.5 m 2 = 36%

17m

6.47m - 9.75m

Red: noncompliant

Zoning

Proposal

73

The New Plex

Rear Yard

Rear Yard

(SFH Max Depth)

(SFH Max Depth)

Max

Buildable Area

Typ Max Front Setback

Typ Max Front Setback

Front Yard

Front Yard

Typical Site Description

The flex plex template is designed for more suburban

contexts with wide lots typically designated for

detached single family houses. While I consulted

a specific site in Scarbrorough for demonstration,

it was chosen for being represenatative of most

postwar North American single family suburbs.

Site coverage rules were ignored due to the variable

nature of lot sizes, but representative setbacks were

chosen.

Loadbearing Chase Walls

1hr FR, 60 STC Demising walls

74

Flex Plex

Typical Floor Section

STC: 50-54

Fire Rating: 1hr

Thickness: 12-1/2” (318mm)

x1 layer 1” [25.4mm] (nominal) Wood Finish Flooring

x1 layer 1” [25.4mm] (nominal) Wood Panel Subfloor

x1 layer 2” x 10” [38 x 235 mm] Wood Joists, 16” [406 mm] O.C.

3” (minimum) insulation

x1 layer 1/2” [12.7 mm] resilient channel, 25 ga. (0.018”), 24” [610 mm] O.C.

x1 layer 3/8” [9.5mm] Type X Gypsum Lath

x1 layer 1/2” [12.7mm] 1:2 - 1:3 Gypsum Sand Plaster

x1 layer 1/2” [12.7mm] Gypsum Panel (Type ‘X)

Typical Interior Demising Wall Plan

STC: 60

Fire Rating:

Thickness:

1hr

9-1/4” (235mm)

x1 layer

x1 layer

x1 layer

x2 layer

5/8” [15.9 mm] Sheetrock® Gypsum Panel (UL Type SCX)

2” x 4” [38 x 89 mm] Wood Studs, 16” [406 mm] O.C.

1” [25.4 mm] air space


3-1/2” [89 mm] insulation


Typical Exterior Wall Plan

Max Extent, Exterior (Masonry Veneer)

Thickness:

x1 layer

x1 layer

x1 layer

x1 layer

x1 layer

up to 17-1/6” (437mm)


1/2” [12.7mm] Plywood Sheathing

Vapour Barrier


3-1/2” [89 mm] Cellulose insulation

1” [25.4 mm] air space


3-1/2” [89 mm] Cellulose insulation

4” [100 mm] Gutex Multitherm Wood Fibre Insulation Board

Waterproofing Mmebrane

Exterior Finish TBD by Builder. Control Layers as required.

Typical Details

The Flex Plex incorporates three typical separation

detail: interior demising walls, interior demising

floors, and exterior walls. The interior demising wall

and floro assemblies provide a minimum 1hr fire

rating and STC rating over 50 to miniimize sound

penetration between units. Other non-loadbearing

partitions interior to the units themselves assume

typical wood stud walls and gypsum with finishing

up to the builder’s discretion. Exterior walls are

provided with minimum R-40 insulative values

using biogenic cellulose and wood fibre insulation.

Though drawn to assume a maximally thick masonry

veneer wall, exterior cladding material outboard

to the thermal envelope is left to the builder’s

discretion to allow for aesthetic personalization

and variability.

75

The New Plex

UNIT A

RESIDENCE

UNIT B

RESIDENCE

UNIT C

RESIDENCE

0.5d x 0.5w

1 storey

1 Bed (Studio)

41.6 m 2 (448 ft 2 )

Toronto average studio rent

= $3.82/ ft 2

RENT:

= $1,711.36

0.5d x 0.5w

2 storey

2 Bedroom

83.2 m 2 (896 ft 2 )

Toronto average 2-bedroom rent

= $2.78/ ft 2

RENT:

= $2,490.88

d x 0.5w

1 storey

2 Bedroom

83.2 m 2 (896 ft 2 )


= $2.78/ ft 2

RENT:

= $2,490.88

Typical Unit Types

I provide 5 residential unit configurations, ranging

from studios to 3-bedrooms, each designed to fit

within the quadrant grid and load all mechanical

and plumbing fixtures along either the exterior

or loadbearing chase walls. These ‘modules’ are

demonstrative and each assume single-household

tenure, but have potential to be adapted over time

as household demand changes, such as by being

merged together, connected with doors, converted

to different uses, etc. Builders can also opt to provide

one-storey ‘flex’ units of up to two quadrants in

size. These empty spaces can accomodate shared

amenity or storage space for residents, or they can

be leased to non-residential uses such as commercial,

office or retail space. This provides an opportunity

to introduce mixed uses into otherwise Euclidian

single-use residential neighborhoods. Commercial

uses can also lease for significantly higher rents

than residences, improving the financial viability of

plex projects on more sites. The following catalogue

shows many possible configurations including

incorporating a single-quadrant flex unit.

76

Flex Plex

UNIT D

RESIDENCE

UNIT E

RESIDENCE

Flex Unit

OTHER USES

d x 0.5w

1 storey

3 Bedroom

83.2 m 2 (896 ft 2 )


= $2.33 / ft 2

RENT:

= $2,087.68

0.5d x w

1 storey

3 Bedroom

83.2 m 2 (896 ft 2 )


= $2.33 / ft 2

RENT:

= $2,087.68

0.5d x w

1 storey

83.2 m 2 (896 ft 2 )

Toronto average commercial /

retail lease rate = $19.79 / ft 2

RENT:

= $17,731.84

8.49x residential 3-bed

7.12x residential 2-bed

Flex Unit

0.5d x 0.5w

1 storey

41.6 m 2 (448 ft 2 )

Flex Unit

d x 0.5w

1 storey

83.2 m 2 (896 ft 2 )

Possible Flex Uses:

• Storage

• Utilities

• Exercise Room

• Workshop

• Commercial Unit

• Office Unit

• Retail Unit

• Amenity Space

77

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


78

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

1x UNIT A studio

3x UNIT C 2 bed

1x Flex Unit

4x

7x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

79

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


80

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

7x UNIT A studio

1x Flex Unit

7x

7x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

81

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


82

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT C 2-bed

8x

8x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

83

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


84

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

8x UNIT A studio

8x

8x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

85

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


86

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT C 2-bed

4x

8x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

87

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


88

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

1x UNIT A studio

1x UNIT C 2-bed

2x UNIT D 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

4x

9x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

89

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


90

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

3x UNIT A studio

2x UNIT D 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

5x

9x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

91

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


92

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

2x UNIT C 2-bed

1x UNIT E 3-bed

5x

9x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

93

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


94

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT C 2-bed

2x UNIT D 3-bed

4x

10x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

95

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


96

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

1x UNIT A studio

3x UNIT E 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

4x

10x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

97

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


98

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

1x UNIT A studio

2x UNIT D 3-bed

1x UNIT E 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

4x

10x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

99

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


100

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT A studio

2x UNIT D 3-bed

6x

10x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

101

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


102

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

1x UNIT A studio

1x UNIT D 3-bed

2x UNIT E 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

4x

10x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

103

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


104

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

1x UNIT A studio

3x UNIT D 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

4x

10x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

105

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


106

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

3x UNIT E 3-bed

5x

11x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

107

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


108

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

2x UNIT D 3-bed

3x UNIT E 3-bed

7x

11x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

109

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


110

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

3x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x Flex Unit

7x

11x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

111

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


112

Flex Plex

Diagram

1x UNIT A studio

1x UNIT C 2-bed

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x Flex Unit

6x

11x

Model Data

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

113

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


114

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT D 3-bed

4x

12x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

115

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


116

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT E 3-bed

4x

12x

Units

Bedrooms

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

117

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


118

Flex Plex

Diagram

1x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x UNIT E 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

6x

12x

Model Data

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

119

The New Plex

Flex Unit

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


120

Flex Plex

Diagram

1x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x UNIT D 3-bed

1x Flex Unit

6x

12x

Model Data

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

121

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


122

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT B 2-bed

2x UNIT C 2-bed

6x

12x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

123

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


124

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

6x

12x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

125

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


126

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x UNIT D 2-bed

7x

12x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

127

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


128

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x UNIT E 3-bed

7x

13x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

129

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


130

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

2x UNIT A studio

4x UNIT B 2-bed

1x UNIT D 3-bed

7x

13x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

131

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


132

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT B 2-bed

2x UNIT D 3-bed

6x

14x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

133

The New Plex

Basement

L1


0 5m

10m


134

Flex Plex

Diagram

Model Data

4x UNIT B 2-bed

2x UNIT E 3-bed

6x

14x

Units

Bedrooms

L2

+4.59m

L2

L1

Grade

Basement

+1.53m

+0.00m

-1.53m

Elevation

0 5m

10m

135

Index: Bedroom Count

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

w/ Flex Unit

136

Index: Leasable Unit Count

4

5

6

7

8

w/ Flex Unit

137

The New Plex

Conclusions

138

This project barely scratches the surface of

architectural possibilities for multiplexes and other

‘missing middle’ housing typologies, but as a design

exercise it is an opportunity to walk through some

of the most important considerations impacting

their form and quality. In the coming years as

more zoning reforms progress, we will see more

architectural experimentation with multiplexes, the

proliferation of new vernacular and regional types,

and more radical innovations. The era of singlefamily

Euclidian zoning as the ‘norm’ pattern

for city planning is reaching an inevitable and

necessary conclusion as more awareness is raised

of its disastrous consequences for affordability,

sustainability, muncipal solvency, health and social

dynamics.

Abundant supply is a critical ingredient of housing

affordability, and this includes supply of many

diverse types of housing to meet the needs of

many diverse buyers. A dynamic market which

permits experimentation, adaptation over time

and even niche housing styles allows the overall

housing market to better absorb demand shocks

from population and demographic changes. In this

regard, restrictive planning practices like single

family zoning imposed a top-down ‘one-sizefits-all’

style of housing, which also happens to

require consuming a disprortionate amount of a

city’s intrinsically limited and valuable land. People

should be allowed to build and buy such dwellings,

if they choose; but forbidding the development and

denser, more efficient housing is a regressive and

outdated policy.

Much of the present day cultural aversion to

densification can probably be attributed to

memory of times when cities were indeed much

dirtier, more polluted, less hygenic, less pleasant,

less safe and even much denser than today, and

some vestigial regulatory structures that encumber

current efforts to expand housing supply likely

reflect these realities. Even the most enthusiastic

urbanist must admit that there are still downsides

to city life. However, technological and educational

advancements in planning, engineering, design, fire

safety, public health, crime prevention, and so on

have enormously improved the quality of dense city

living and rendered many laws outdated.

Where does architectural agency fit into this

discussion? Architects rarely have the choice of what

site they can design on, let alone the laws governing

what can be built on the land. But as these laws

loosen to permit more multifamily construction and

more such projects fall into our lap, the success of

these dwellings to overcome negative stereotypes

and become intrinsically desirable places to live

in their own right will be squarely in our purview

as designers. We can also influence how these

reforms take place by understanding the practical

architectural considerations of their construction.

As a building type, the multiplex demonstrates that

density need not always be achieved at the expense

of comfort, family sized dwellings, human scale,

privacy, greenery, environmental sustainability and

other quality of life metrics that people have come

to associate with the suburban single family ideal.

Through these designs, I am throwing my hat into

what will be a much longer conversation in the

coming years about how designers can improve

the quality of multifamily homes in North America.

The multiplex is only one housing form of many,

but a uniquely timely and interesting one given

contemporary challenges.

--Philippe Fournier

139

The New Plex

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Adapted from:

Author Unknown. Graph. TWImg. N.d. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0PIr9kXoAQvbeR.jpg:large

Real disposable income and real home price index. Rebased to 1975 (100). Timeframe is 1975 Q1 to Q4 2020. Image Data Sources: Mack, A., and E.

Martinez-Garcia, 2011. “A cross-country quarterly database of real house prices: A methodological note.” Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute

working paper No. 99 Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, author calculations, 2021.

Figure 2: Adapted from Fluorish chart, provided in:

Rutgers, Julia Simone. “No Place to Live” The Walrus. September 21, 2022. https://thewalrus.ca/no-place-to-live/.


Scotiabank. Graph. N.d. https://www.scotiabank.com/content/dam/scotiabank/global-economics/images/housing-note-charts/2022-01-12/Picture1-2.

png.

Jean Francois Perrault. “Which Province Has the Largest Structural Housing Deficit?” Scotiabank. January 12, 2022. https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/

en/about/economics/economics-publications/post.other-publications.housing.housing-note.housing-note--january-12-2022-.html


Statistics Canada. Graph. N.d. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/2015008/c-g/c-g01-eng.jpg

Statistics Canada. “The shift to smaller households over the past century.” May 17, 2018. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-630-x/11-630-

x2015008-eng.htm


Sun, Yang. “A visual guide to detached house zones in 5 Canadian Cities.” DataLabTO. N.d. http://www.datalabto.ca/a-visual-guide-to-detachedhouses-in-5-canadian-cities/.


MapTO. Digital drawing. N.d. “Every Building in the Greater Toronto and Hamitlon Area.” http://www.mapto.ca/maps/every-building-in-the-gtha


MapTO. Digital drawing. N.d. “Every Building in the Greater Toronto and Hamitlon Area.” http://www.mapto.ca/maps/every-building-in-the-gtha

Figure 8: Self-produced.

Figure 9: Self-produced.


Statistics Canada. “Census in Brief: Dwellings in Canada.” https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016005/98-200-

x2016005-eng.cfm


Vella, Erica. “Population density in Toronto significantly less compared to other major cities: Fraser Institute.” Global News. January 9, 2018. https://

globalnews.ca/news/3954609/population-density-in-toronto-fraser-institute/

City of Montreal. 11 Borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal. Montreal Master Plan. Montreal: City of Montreal, n.d. http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/pls/portal/

docs/page/plan_urbanisme_en/media/documents/150427_densite_11_en.pdf

City of Montreal. Arrondissement du Plateau-Mont-Royal (Édition mai 2018). Montreal. Montreal: City of Montreal, n.d. http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/

pls/portal/docs/PAGE/MTL_STATS_FR/MEDIA/DOCUMENTS/PROFIL_SOCIOD%C9MO_PLATEAU%20MONT-ROYAL%202016.PDF.

144


City of Montreal. “11 Borough of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal.” Zoning map. N.d. https://ville.montreal.qc.ca/pls/portal/docs/page/plan_urbanisme_en/

media/documents/150427_densite_11_en.pdf


Piepho, Lauren. “New Advances in Mass Timber Construction.” HGA. December 31, 2018. https://hga.com/advantages-of-mass-timber-construction/


Rocha Ramona. “Montreal is 375 years old, but how old are its buildings?” CBC News. 2017. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/

montreal-375-buildings/.

Figure 15: Self produced.

Figure 16: Evergreen. “What is the Missing Middle? A Toronto housing challenge demystified.” N.d. https://www.evergreen.ca/downloads/

pdfs/2018/What_is_the_Missing_Middle_Evergreen_CUI_s2.pdf.




Storeys. “Ontario’s Condos are Getting Smaller as Detached Homes Get Larger.” October 19, 2022. https://storeys.com/ontario-condos-getting-smaller-detached-homes-get-larger/.

Figure 20:

Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Small House Designs: 2 Storey and 1-1/2 Storey Houses. November 1954. https://publications.gc.ca/

collections/collection_2016/schl-cmhc/NH17-66-1954-eng.pdf

Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Small House Designs. 1962. https://archive.org/details/ca-1-mh-62-s-53-w.

Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Small House Designs: Bungalows and Split Level Houses. April 1954. https://publications.gc.ca/

collections/collection_2016/schl-cmhc/NH17-65-1954-eng.pdf

Flex Plex wall and floor details prepared cosnulting CGC’s Wall Assembly Catlogue and WoodWorks assembly catalogues:

CGC. “Wall Assemblies.” https://www.usg.com/content/usgcom/en_CA_east/design-studio/wall-assemblies.html

WoodWorks. “Light-Frame.” https://www.woodworks.org/cad-revit/light-frame/

FourSevenFive. “Gutex Multitherm” Product Data. https://foursevenfive.ca/gutex-multitherm/

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