StudioAC’s transformation of a historic Toronto church into Junction Semi, a multi-generational family residence, demonstrates an innovative approach to adaptive reuse that thoughtfully balances preservation with contemporary living needs.

The Junction Semi project reimagines the ecclesiastical structure as two distinct yet connected dwelling units organized around a central courtyard. This serves to maintain the building’s legacy as a communal gathering space. By strategically removing sections of the original architecture, the designers created light wells that illuminate the deep floor plan, showcasing the existing steel framework and timber beams as design features. The ground floor’s open layout incorporates precise cutouts to define spaces without compromising the building’s original volume, while the upper level introduces new volumes that provide private sleeping quarters opening onto shared terraces and a productive rooftop farm.

Image Credit: Felix Michaud