Rotunda

Striking Architectural Details Meet Historic Materials

Rotunda encapsulates the character and charm of James Bay’s historical Legislature District, with an architectural design that complements the neighbourhood’s existing built fabric while combining contemporary elements for modern living.

The result is a thoughtfully articulated design by D’Arcy Jones Architecture which centres around a striking open courtyard, welcoming generous natural light and a sense of airiness into the homes.

The variety of built and unbuilt sites surrounding Rotunda informed the basic shape of the building, taking into consideration the smaller grained neighbouring buildings to the northwest. The resulting design is two separate small-scale buildings flanking a central U-shaped courtyard. These three volumes float over an open-air parking space.

By pulling the building into two halves to create a central courtyard, midday sun will pass through the two smaller buildings letting light into the neighbouring yards, while simultaneously offering light from both sides on all homes. The building’s residential units all face onto the courtyard, creating east-west orientations that prevent midday overheating while providing passive cooling through cross ventilation.