Orangeink Design - Ravine House - Mississauga - Canada

2025-07-16

Orangeink Design, a Toronto‑based architecture studio specializing in residential renovations and additions, has been named the jury winner in the Residential Renovation & Addition category of the 2025 Architizer A+ Awards. The project presents the firm’s careful preservation of an existing structure alongside inventive spatial reconfiguration and site‑responsive interventions.

Light-filled living, inside and out

Located in Mississauga’s Lorne Park neighbourhood, the project involved a 1960s four‑bedroom, three‑bathroom bungalow on a deeply treed, 105 ft by 600 ft lot. Set 250 ft from the street, and perched on a ravine’s edge overlooking Lornewood Creek, the home originally featured low ceilings, dimly lit inward‑facing rooms, and an indoor pool.

Orangeink Design’s brief called for reducing the bedrooms to three, reimagining the main level as an open‑plan living space, converting the lower level into a great room and fitness area, and creating both front and rear outdoor gathering spots—all within strict conservation authority guidelines that prohibited expanding the building footprint on three sides.

Respecting ‘Good Bones’

The design team removed the existing roof, introducing varied ceiling heights and generous daylighting. Walls separating kitchen, dining, and living areas were opened up, and the fireplace was relocated to anchor the space. The original staircase gave way to a new flight aligned with the entry, framing a 140 sq ft living green wall and freshwater pond. This biophilic feature not only reinforces the connection to the ravine beyond, but also improves indoor air quality.

Outdoor spaces reimagined

Conservation restrictions barred ground-plane additions on three sides and limited projections into the ravine. The design team responded by carving outdoor pockets within the existing envelope. A four‑season, covered patio replaces the former indoor pool, cantilevered above the forest floor. A private balcony tucks into a “negative corner” of the primary bedroom. A treehouse-like rooftop deck extends over the primary suite, with changing roof heights for privacy and treetop vistas. At the front, an elevated boardwalk and courtyard invite gathering with reclaimed brick walls and a ribbon-like roof defining the social zone. The design team's primary goal was to achieve a thoughtful balance of preservation and modern intervention of a mid‑century structure into a flexible, light‑filled home.

About Orangeink Design

Established in 2011, Orangeink Design specializes in residential renovations and additions, working effectively within existing contexts to transform everyday homes into truly beautiful, custom living spaces. Based in Toronto, the studio is known for its clean lines, purposeful detailing, and a nuanced approach to light and space.

Photo credit: Scott Norsworthy