Sometimes, the architecture of cities and suburban areas can feel repetitive. Houses end up looking the same, sometimes with a hint of personality depending on the door colour, and buildings are often simple — but not all the residential areas in Canada are like this.
In this article, we’ll be looking at non-traditional residences created for visual impact among “regular homes.” These unique homes were inspired by art movements, and are usually passion projects for those that decided to design and build something different. There are a few residences that fall outside the norm of house building in Canada. Absolute Towers | Corner of Burnhamthorpe Rd and Hurontario St, Mississauga, Ontario This one is more on the popular side. Built in 2012 and located across the street from Mississauga’s Square One Shopping Centre, these two skyscrapers are revered around the world. Ma Yansong, a Beijing-based architect, designed the buildings for the international design competition and was awarded the project in 2006. Due to the curving and twisting of both buildings, they were quickly nicknamed the Marylin Monroe towers. They were awarded the “Best Tall Buildings in the Americas” award in 2012 as well. The buildings are shiny and curved in a way that brings an interesting visual change in comparison to the simple rectangular buildings around them. Habitat 67 | 2600 Avenue Pierre-Dupuy Montreal, Quebec As part of the Canadian Pavilion for the World Exposition of 1967, Habitat 67 wasn’t originally meant to be a place for actual residency. Moshe Safdie designed this structure as an experiment on modern, dense living that still provides enough space and individuality. The structure is a collection of cube-like shapes stacked on top of each other in a seemingly random way. Each “box” was prefabricated, connected by steel cables and all different shapes and sizes. Today, the boxes are available to live in, though they are not cheap considering the $128 million (adjusted for inflation) it took to complete the project. The Cube House | 1 Sumach St, Toronto, Ontario Famously known as The Cube House, this structure was built in 1996 by Ben Kutner and Jeff Brown. Inspired by the Dutch Cubist architectural movements in the 1970s, the Cube House displays large cubes rotated, and sitting on their corners on top of a smaller white structure. This residence was meant to inspire more sets of cube-shaped homes called the “UniTri”, but the trend died with the single-cube home. Unfortunately, in 2016 the land was sold to a real estate developer and in November of 2018, the famed Cube House was torn down. Dome Home | 1196 Upper Dwyer Hill Rd., Carp, Ontario Often, unique homes are inspired and built by non-traditional shapes, and the Dome Home in Carp, Ontario, is no exception. Located west of Ottawa, the Dome Home is constructed on concrete walls and relies on an open-concept interior. Because of its curved, non-geometric shape, the Dome Home is meant to blend in with the nature surrounding it from the inside and out. It’s no secret that the cost of living continues to rise across the globe — and especially in Canada.
In Canada, the average price of gas per litre hit $1.78 during the week of March 13 of this year, as reported by the Canadian Automobile Association. In January of this year, the annual inflation rate rose to 5.1% for the first time in over three decades while the wage increased only 2.4% over the same period. Canadians are feeling the financial pressure. In a survey conducted by Angus Reid, 53% of respondents admitted that “they can’t keep up” with the rising cost of living. Included in rising costs is the price of buying and renting a home. So, when it comes to living, is it better to own or rent a home? It depends on what type of lifestyle you lead. Before making a decision, consider some factors to figure out which type of home works best for you. General Points to Consider There are a few things to consider before deciding if it’s in your best interest to buy or rent. First, think about where you want to live. This can depend on your family, work or personal preference. If you’re looking to live closer to a big city, like Toronto, you’ll likely look for a home to rent — unless you can afford the skyrocketing prices for buying a house or condo. On the other hand, if you have a family and don’t mind living a little outside the city centres, buying a home may be a better fit. The next step is figuring out how long you plan to stay in your new home. People who like to move around a lot might want to rent, since it’s both easier to pack-up and leave and you won’t be stuck making mortgage payments. The opposite goes for those looking for stability. Purchasing a home allows people to settle in one area. Finally, create a budget and decide how much you want to spend. Considering the other factors, if you can afford to make monthly rent payments and will move out within a short period of time, then renting might be the way to go. If you’re looking to stay in a home and want to increase the value of your home to your advantage, then purchasing is a better fit. Renting There are pros and cons to both renting and buying. It’s important to do research, but there are some key things to consider before making a final decision. The life of a renter may look a little different than that of a buyer. People who rent are able to move around much easier. You aren’t trapped in mortgage payments and interest, it’s easier to pack all your belongings and move, the overall payments are likely lower, and you don’t have to worry about maintenance responsibilities (though you might have to pay for them). The cons are just as important. As a renter, if you decide to move, you don’t gain anything back, like a homeowner who resells. Also, the price of your rent can fluctuate. There are often restrictions set by the landlords on renovating, and on the type of lifestyle they’re comfortable with on their property. Buying Buying a home has a similar amount of pros and cons. Unlike renting, buying a home gives you full control over renovations and changes you want to make to the home (make sure to check in if you have an Homeowners Association, and take a look at city laws). If you decide you move and the price of your home has gone up since the time of purchase, you may gain some money back. Often, the monthly mortgage payments are more stable, depending on the contract you sign. On the other hand, buying a home makes it harder to move, not only because of the amount of stuff but the paperwork that needs to be completed and the selling of the home before you move into the next. You’re also responsible for all maintenance to be done on your home and property, having to pay completely out of pocket for them. Buying is not always better than renting in some scenarios. It’s important to make that distinction to decide what’s best for you in the long-term. |
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AuthorLarry Weltman is a Customer Service Representative for AccessEasyFunds Limited, or AEF, an Ontario-based firm Archives
November 2022
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