Kohn Shnier Architects, which was co-founded by associate professor John Shnier, has been named a recipient of a 2020 Best of Canada Award for Wrap House, a home renovation project the firm completed in 2019.

The Best of Canada Awards recognize excellence in Canadian interior design projects of any size or budget, anywhere in the country. The awards are given annually by Canadian Interiors magazine.

The Wrap House project consisted of a total modernization of a mid-century home, located in the Toronto suburb of Etobicoke. Kohn Shnier Architects created a new front addition, clad in blackened wood, that wraps (hence the name) around the existing structure. Using the home's existing side-split typology, the designers totally revamped the interior volumes and added a new master suite. The new living spaces are characterized by material surfaces that reflect and energize the idea of a special family dwelling.

"Anticipation, reflection, and glimpsed views make for a home that is at once open yet discreet," Kohn Shnier writes in its description of the project. "This, coupled with the the cross-flow energies introduced through entry make an environment that is alive, yet calm."

To learn more about Wrap House and the other winners of the 2020 Best of Canada awards, visit the Canadian Interiors website.

Top image: Wrap House.