Opportunity

The Region of Halton sought to expand its affordable housing portfolio with a seniors housing development that would enable residents to age in place while maintaining independence, dignity, and connection to the surrounding community. The Region required a solution that exceeded minimum accessibility standards, avoided an institutional character, and fit seamlessly within an established residential neighbourhood. At the same time, the project needed to balance long-term affordability, energy performance, and efficient delivery. The site presented additional complexity, including tight spatial constraints, sloping conditions, and servicing requirements that required careful coordination.

Response

The project was designed as a small-scale, village-like seniors housing development composed of seven single-storey duplex buildings, delivering 14 fully barrier-free homes that support aging in place while maintaining independence and dignity. Rather than consolidating residents into a single institutional building, the development adopts a “missing middle” typology that reflects the scale and character of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Accessibility was treated as a core design driver, resulting in homes that exceed Ontario Building Code and CMHC requirements. Each unit was designed to accommodate a wide range of mobility needs through generous clearances, adaptable layouts, accessible washrooms and kitchens, and dedicated scooter storage and charging at entrances. The site was organized to balance privacy and connection, with buildings framing shared outdoor spaces including a central garden and seating areas that encourage social interaction and reinforce a sense of community.

To support long-term affordability and performance, the development was designed to a Passive House–informed standard and delivered using prefabricated wall panels and an insulated slab system. These strategies improved construction quality, reduced thermal bridging, and accelerated on-site assembly while lowering operational energy use. Careful coordination of grading, servicing, and circulation ensured the site functioned efficiently despite spatial and topographic constraints.