Montrose Sixplex: A New Housing Model for Gentle Density on a Residential Street in Toronto

This project leverages Toronto’s evolving zoning by-laws to deliver a nuanced architectural response that integrates density while reinforcing neighbourhood character through a continuity of form and material

Located in a low-rise residential neighbourhood in Toronto, this six-unit rental housing project spans two lots and explores the architectural potential of incremental density through a carefully composed group of buildings. The development consists of two semi-detached multiplexes facing the street and two semi-detached laneway houses at the rear of the site, oriented towards Bickford Park.

The street-facing buildings are conceived as a single gabled form, drawing from the character of the surrounding residential context. The pitched roof acts as a regulating device, accommodating additional program within a familiar silhouette while maintaining the rhythm and scale of neighbouring houses.

Belgian buff brick wraps the primary elevations, creating material continuity and a sense of permanence. Window openings are carefully proportioned and detailed with limestone sills, while patterned brickwork between the main openings introduces depth and shadow across the façades. Entrances are clearly defined, yet restrained, reinforcing a calm residential presence along the street.

At the rear of the site, the laneway houses complete the composition. Though smaller in scale, their massing and proportions closely align with those of the street-facing buildings, allowing the project to read as a unified architectural ensemble. Their orientation toward the laneway reimagines it as a shared front-yard condition connected to the park, rather than as a residual service space shaped primarily by vehicles.

The interior spaces, designed in collaboration with Unison Group, are defined by a reductive and warm material palette of light oak flooring and full-height millwork. Large floor-to-ceiling sliding doors dissolve the boundary between living spaces and outdoor terraces, bringing natural light deep into the open-plan interiors. A central staircase enclosed with glass balustrades anchors the plan and enhances visual continuity between levels. On the second floor, the full volume of the gabled roof is used to create a double-height library. This contemplative space incorporates a custom built-in desk and upper shelving accessed by a rolling ladder, transforming the building’s profile into a distinct spatial experience.

The project takes shape within a shifting policy framework that has expanded the capacity of Toronto’s low-rise neighbourhoods to accommodate additional density. Rather than treating these changes simply as a matter of compliance, the design uses the flexibility of contemporary planning and zoning regulations to test a more nuanced architectural response. Density is integrated through continuity of form and material, demonstrating how regulatory change can be translated into built work that reinforces neighbourhood character, while broadening the range of housing types available in the city.

About Gabriel Fain Architects

Founded in 2016, Gabriel Fain Architects is a multi-disciplinary design studio operating at the intersection of architecture and urbanism. Recognized as a leading voice among a new generation of architects in Toronto, Gabriel Fain is pioneering innovative housing typologies, ranging from multiplexes and mid-rise buildings to reimagined tall buildings.

The studio addresses the city’s diverse housing needs, including rental, affordable, and condominium living, by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and advanced construction methods such as prefabrication, light-frame construction, and mass-timber systems.

Principal architect Gabriel Fain is licensed with the Ontario Association of Architects. He graduated from the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto with a Master of Architecture degree and was awarded the prestigious Heather M. Reisman Gold Medal in Design. Gabriel is a frequent guest critic at the Daniels Faculty and speaks regularly in design forums, podcasts, and media about new housing typologies.

Gabriel Fain recently co-authored a book entitled “On The Courtyard: Learning from European Blocks”, which looks at how to re-imagine missing middle housing in Toronto.

MORE LIKE THIS