The Commons Co-work Space

A day of celebration in East Hamilton for two new #PassiveHouse #AffordableHousing projects at the Queenston Traffic Circle!

We’re proud to be the architects for the first building—a 40-unit family housing development that will soon be home to a YWCA childcare centre on the ground floor, completing both the building and the site.

CHH created staged photos based on actual units, giving a glimpse into what future homes will look like. We can’t wait to see these buildings come to life and bring much-needed housing to our community. ...

One month in, our new rain garden in front of our office is looking really healthy! Flora the office dog wanted to show off the beautiful black eyed Susans. ...

Thanks to Danielle for hosting our team for a garden party this afternoon. What an amazing space to be outside, and a perfect day for it, too. ☀️ 🌺 🪷🌿♻️🌸💙🐛🌷🥰🇨🇦💐 ...

Part 3: Interiors

55 Queenston sets a precedent for context-sensitive, and climate-resilient development. Located on the former City Motor Hotel site, this first phase of affordable housing by CityHousing Hamilton delivers 40 Passive House-certified one- and three-bedroom units. The six-storey building addresses urgent housing needs while advancing the city’s low-carbon goals.

Details:
- Corner Units: The building’s angular form allows for distinctive three-bedroom corner units with unique layouts and abundant natural light—an upgrade from conventional unit designs.
- Accessible Design: Includes 11 fully barrier-free units (27% of total), nearly double the Code requirement. The three-bedroom accessible units are among the few of their kind in Hamilton.
- Universal Design: All tenant amenities were designed for accessibility—including a garbage room with a ramped chute area for easy access to all waste streams.
- Artwork: Three custom art pieces reflect Hamilton’s transit past and future—featuring the incline railway, the Studebaker era of the original City Motor Hotel, and the upcoming LRT.
- Sustainability Features:
• Daylight-filled corridors
• Rooftop solar PV system
• ACM exterior sunshades
• 8" continuous exterior insulation with thermally broken clips
• Low-carbon wood-framed envelope with Rockwool insulation
• Airtight construction (0.3 ACH @ 50 Pa)
- Energy Performance:
• TEUI: 39 kWh/m²/year (extremely low)
• Pre-certified by Passive House International as a Low Energy Building

Team & Details:
• Client : City Housing Hamilton
• Construction Cost : $21.5M
• No. Units : 40 Affordable Apartments ; 11 Barrier Free ; 25 1 Bedroom & 15 3 Bedroom
• Occupancy : June 2025
• Architect : @invizij
• Site Plan Architect : @tomsmcnally
• Structural Engineer : Kalos Engineering Inc
• Mechanical / Electrical Engineer : CK Engineering Inc
• Civil Engineer : S. Llewellyn & Associates Ltd
• Landscape Architect : OMC Landscape Architecture
• Passive House Consultant : @zonengineeringinc
• Construction Manager : Schilthuis Construction Inc
• Photography : @industryous ...

Part 2:
55 Queenston sets a precedent for context-sensitive, and climate-resilient development. Located on the former City Motor Hotel site, this first phase of affordable housing by CityHousing Hamilton delivers 40 Passive House-certified one- and three-bedroom units. The six-storey building addresses urgent housing needs while advancing the city’s low-carbon goals.

A few highlights:
- Location & History: Built on the former City Motor Hotel site—long a community blight—expropriated by the City in 2012 and rezoned in 2014 with support from Toms + McNally.
- Transit-Oriented Design: Designed from the outset to align with transit-oriented corridor standards, despite several shifts in the LRT development timeline.
- Urban Form: This six-storey building is oriented along Queenston Road to capture views and create a distinctive presence at the Queenston Traffic Circle.
- Street-Level Activation: Ground-floor commercial space along Queenston Road will soon house a YWCA childcare centre, featuring a secure play area opening onto the shared courtyard.
- Shared Courtyard: A central, landscaped courtyard between phases offers a quiet, family-friendly retreat, overlooked by the ground-floor community and laundry rooms.
- Façade Design: Grey and white fiber cement cladding is animated by ACM-clad window boxes that provide both visual interest and effective sun shading. A brick masonry base, recessed at street level, enhances the pedestrian experience.

Project info:
• Client : City Housing Hamilton
• Construction Budget : $21,455,000
• No. Units : 40 Affordable Apartments ; 11 Barrier Free ; 25 1 Bedroom & 15 3 Bedroom
• Occupancy : June 2025
• Architect : @invizij
• Site Plan Architect : @tomsmcnally
• Structural Engineer : Kalos Engineering Inc
• Mechanical / Electrical Engineer : CK Engineering Inc
• Civil Engineer : S. Llewellyn & Associates Ltd
• Landscape Architect : OMC Landscape Architecture
• Passive House Consultant : @zonengineeringinc
• Construction Manager : Schilthuis Construction Inc
• TEUI 39 kWh/m2/year = (97 kWh/m2/year PER demand) ...

55 Queenston sets a precedent for context-sensitive, and climate-resilient development. Located on the former City Motor Hotel site, this first phase of affordable housing by CityHousing Hamilton delivers 40 Passive House-certified one- and three-bedroom units. The six-storey building addresses urgent housing needs while advancing the city’s low-carbon goals.

Its form responds to the prominent Queenston Traffic Circle and its extension to Queenston Rd. with setbacks allowing for future LRT infrastructure and enhancing the pedestrian realm. Ground-level commercial space will soon house a YWCA childcare centre, contributing to a vibrant streetscape with a vital community resource.

A shared courtyard between phases offers a quiet, family-friendly retreat. The design prioritizes human connection and long-term livability, supported by sustainable strategies such as daylight-filled corridors, rooftop solar, an airtight envelope, exterior sunshades, and eight inches of continuous exterior insulation which provided the required conditions to meet the rigorous Passive House standard.

Project info:
• Client : City Housing Hamilton
• Construction Budget : $21,455,000
• No. Units : 40 Affordable Apartments (25 1-BR & 15-3 BR; 11BF)
• Occupancy : June 2025
• Architect : @invizij
• Site Plan Architect : @tomsmcnally
• Structural Engineer : Kalos Engineering Inc
• Mechanical / Electrical Engineer : CK Engineering Inc
• Civil Engineer : S. Llewellyn & Associates Ltd
• Landscape Architect : OMC Landscape Architecture
• Passive House Consultant : @zonengineeringinc
• Construction Manager : Schilthuis Construction Inc
• Photography : @industryous
• TEUI 39 kWh/m2/year = (97 kWh/m2/year PER demand)
#passivehouse #passivehousecanada #affordablehousing #multifamilyhousing #hamont #transitcorridor ...

Shout out to @riversyde83foodhub in Simcoe! We were in town yesterday and had the opportunity to stop in for lunch. 🥙 We had helped design this food hub a few years ago, which was constructed by volunteers during the pandemic and is now doing so much for the community. The food is delicious and affordable, and almost all the staff are volunteers! It’s definitely worth a visit to Simcoe, we need food hubs like this in every town. ...

Holly and Emma led a site tour and talk about CityHousing Hamilton’s 55 Queenston project today for the @passivehousecan Pulse event. The building has 40 units: 15 are 3 bedroom (for families) and the rest are 1 bedroom.

There was a good turnout with around 75 eager people who got to hear about and experience two different Passive House buildings. The first photo is of @whyholland and Tim Schilthuis, from Schilthuis Construction, in front of the new City Motor Hotel/ Studebaker artwork by @thearchitectsgarage across from the ground floor elevator. If you’d like to tour the buildings, there is a grand opening planned for one month from now, so stay tuned. We’re also hoping to present about the passive house journey with this project at a future conference.
#passivehouse #hamont #sitetour #cityhousinghamilton ...