Arthur Residence by 5468796 Architecture – Regina, Canada

The Arthur Residence, designed by 5468796 Architecture, is a striking modern home in downtown Regina, Canada, created for a South African finish carpenter and emergency room doctor who share a love for gardening. Seeking a private urban sanctuary, the homeowners envisioned a space that balances intimate seclusion with functional elegance, offering respite from the surrounding city life. Situated on an infill lot in a mature neighborhood where traditional bungalows are giving way to standard developments, the Arthurs challenged the norm with a carefully considered and innovative residential design.

Thoughtful Site Planning and Courtyard Design Instead of leaving small side-yard setbacks as leftover spaces, the Arthur Residence spans the full width of its lot. The boundary fence and walls seamlessly merge, creating a solid presence from the street while directing visitors to a single entrance path. Within this enclosure, the design introduces multiple private courtyards, including an entry court, a main garden, and a sunken patio. Volumes of the house, including the foyer, the combined living-dining area, and the kitchen/utility wing, are thoughtfully arranged to frame pocket garden views from nearly every interior space.

Flexible Layout for Multi-Generational Living The residence’s upper level accommodates two distinct bedroom suites, each accessed by separate staircases—one for guests above the foyer and another for the principal suite above the kitchen. A two-bedroom secondary apartment below ground, accessed privately from street level, provides options for rental income or multigenerational living. This innovative solution ensures efficient land use without compromising privacy or design integrity.

Materiality, Light, and Spatial Experience The home is an interplay of solid walls and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing internal gardens to filter light and create serene interior experiences. The second floor serves as a sheltered lookout, offering discrete views over the neighborhood and surrounding tree canopy. Curved stucco and plaster walls, designed like flowing curtains, capture the breeze and diffuse daylight, while custom operable wood-framed windows crafted by the homeowner enhance the tactile, sensory quality of the interiors.

Inside, the double-height living and dining room is a masterful intersection of solidity and lightness, activity and repose. Smooth plaster walls rise from raw cast-in-place concrete, reflecting diffused light and emphasizing the texture, materiality, and atmosphere of the home. Every detail is curated to create a calm, restorative environment, ideal for unwinding after demanding professional lives.

The Arthur Residence exemplifies a contemporary residential approach that harmonizes urban infill, privacy, and sustainable materiality while celebrating landscape integration and architectural craftsmanship.

All Photographs are works of James Brittain Photography