![A modern laneway house with a rotated red brick facade.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-laneway-house-brick-facade-300524-755-01.jpg)
Architecture firm Williamson Williamson has shared photos of a laneway home they completed in Toronto, Canada, that features a distinct rotated brick facade.
Usually, laneway houses are small, however, this one is a four-bedroom home, designed for a family of five, providing ample living spaces, light-filled rooms, and a strong connection to the neighborhood.
![A modern laneway house with a rotated red brick facade.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-laneway-house-brick-facade-300524-755-02.jpg)
By converting the existing home into a duplex, the property now supports three families, offering a practical solution to the housing crisis by integrating additional living spaces into established communities.
![A modern laneway house with a rotated red brick facade.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-laneway-house-brick-facade-300524-755-03.jpg)
The family uses the laneway as their main entrance, which is tucked under a carport canopy clad in charred cedar to maintain privacy from nearby garages.
The house’s most striking feature is its rotated brick facade. It creates a dynamic pattern of light and shadow, adding a three-dimensional element to the facade and breaking up the solid exterior.
![A modern laneway house with a rotated red brick facade.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-laneway-house-brick-facade-300524-755-04.jpg)
The rotated brick design involves cantilevering every other row of bricks over the one below, creating a playful massing that changes with the sun’s movement.
![A modern laneway house with a rotated red brick facade.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-laneway-house-brick-facade-300524-755-05.jpg)
Programmatically, the house is flipped upside-down. The primary suite is on the lowest floor, lit with a large lightwell. The primary bedroom suite has built-in cabinetry, a desk, and a sliding glass door that opens to a small private outdoor area.
![This primary bedroom suite has built-in cabinetry and a desk, as well as a sliding glass door that opens to a small private outdoor area.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-primary-bedroom-300524-746-01.jpg)
![This primary bedroom suite has built-in cabinetry and a desk, as well as a sliding glass door that opens to a small private outdoor area.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-primary-bedroom-300524-746-02.jpg)
![This primary bedroom suite has built-in cabinetry and a desk, as well as a sliding glass door that opens to a small private outdoor area.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-primary-bedroom-300524-746-03.jpg)
The teenager’s bedrooms are on the next floor.
![A modern home with wood and white stairs.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/entryway-stairs-300524-745-01.jpg)
The living spaces, like the dining area, kitchen, and living room are located on the upper levels with picturesque views of the neighboring treetops.
![A modern open plan dining area.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dining-area-stairs-300524-750-01.jpg)
A wood accent wall draws the eye upward to the high ceilings. The architects’ use of a cold-formed steel joist system increased ceiling height by four inches per level, allowing services to run through the supports and eliminating the need for dropped ceilings.
![A wood accent wall draws the eye upward to the high ceilings.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dining-area-stairs-300524-750-02.jpg)
In the kitchen, a stone backsplash continues up the wall, while a window at the top adds natural light, and minimalist white cabinetry features throughout.
![In the kitchen, a stone backsplash continues up the wall, while a window at the top adds natural light, and minimalist white cabinetry features throughout.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-kitchen-white-cabinets-300524-750-01.jpg)
Here’s a look at the architectural drawings for the laneway home.
![Architectural drawings for a modern laneway home.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modern-laneway-house-floor-plans-300524-803-01.jpg)
![Architectural drawings for a modern laneway home.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/laneway-house-building-section-300524-803-01.jpg)