By Ellie Stathaki
last updated

John Shnier and Martin Kohn started their practice together in 1990, and now work together with a new partner, Maggie Bennedsen. While the studio's work ranges from commercial interiors to large schemes for civic centres, they're also adept at turning out modest modern dwellings for space sensitive Torontonians.

The Laneway House in Toronto was originally designed for a family of four, with ground floor sleeping areas - including ultra-compact 'couchettes' for the children - and a living space above. At 120 square metres, this is no sprawling McMansion.

'There are more families who are not opting to go the suburban route when they have children, and as a result are getting comfortable with the smaller places generally available, and affordable, in the city,' says Martin Kohn.

At the other end of the scale is the Muskoka House in Ontario, a paean to the practicalities of prefabrication. Constructed from wooden modules, the house is raised up on columns and threads its way through a spectacular wooded site.

www.kohnshnierarchitects.com

The Bombardier Learjet with dark lights


(Image credit: TBC)

The Bombardier Learjet

Interior of the Learjet

Read the article: Bombardier Learjet

Interior of the Learjet

(Image credit: TBC)

Flying Bombardier Learjet

(Image credit: TBC)

The Bombardier Learjet

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

Read the article: Cindy Rendely

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely

(Image credit: TBC)

The Staircase House by Cindy Rendely

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant, Vancouver

Read the article: Coast restaurant

Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Hanging lights with sofa

(Image credit: TBC)

Restaurant with dinning table and chair

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant with staircase

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant with round wooden table

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant with dinning table and chair

(Image credit: TBC)

Coast restaurant with dinning tables

(Image credit: TBC)

Supernova by Douglas Coupland

Read the article: Douglas Coupland's art

Supernova by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Talking sticks by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Talking sticks by Douglas Coupland

Penguin Pretty Vacant by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Penguin Pretty Vacant by Douglas Coupland

Coyote by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Coyote by Douglas Coupland

Patricide by Douglas Coupland

(Image credit: TBC)

Patricide by Douglas Coupland

Penguin Cumshot

(Image credit: TBC)

Penguin Cumshot by Douglas Coupland

Penguin Clash

(Image credit: TBC)

Penguin Clash by Douglas Coupland

Matricide Silver Skate

(Image credit: TBC)

Matricide Silver Skate by Douglas Coupland

Matricide Beer

(Image credit: TBC)

Matricide Beer by Douglas Coupland

Drip Maple Syrup

Read the article: Drip Maple Syrup

Drip Maple Syrup

(Image credit: TBC)

Drip Maple Syrup

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest by D'Arcy Jones Desig

Read the article: Form & Forest

Form & Forest

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest

(Image credit: TBC)

Form & Forest

(Image credit: TBC)

Farm house with green lawn

(Image credit: TBC)

D'Arcy Jones Design

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

Read the article: Keefer Hotel

The Keefer Hotel, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel

(Image credit: TBC)

The Keefer Hotel

(Image credit: TBC)

Laneway House, Toronto, by Kohn Shnier architects

Read the article: Kohn Shnier, Toronto

Laneway House, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Laneway House, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Laneway House

(Image credit: TBC)

Laneway House, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval by Cannon Design

Read the article: Vancouver Winter Olympic architecture

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Richmond Olympic Oval

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory table and chairs by Samare Design, Montreal

Read the article: Samare design, Montreal

Territory table and chairs

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory table and chairs by Samare Design, Montreal

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory desk and chair

(Image credit: TBC)

Territory desk and chair by Samare design

R-Mountie bench and throw

(Image credit: TBC)

R-Mountie bench and throw by Samare design

Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

Read the article: Level Design, Vancouver

Still House by Level Design, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Still House by Level Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Still House by Level Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Still House by Level Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

Read the article: Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

Sunset Cabin by Taylor_Smyth Architects, Toronto

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor

(Image credit: TBC)

Sunset Cabin by Taylor

(Image credit: TBC)

40R_Laneway House by Süperkul, Toronto

Read the article: Süperkul, Toronto

40R_Laneway House by Süperkul

(Image credit: TBC)

SHIFT Cottage by Süperkul

(Image credit: TBC)

SHIFT Cottage by Süperkul

The Trans Canada Trail

Read the article: Trans Canada trail

The Trans Canada Trail

(Image credit: TBC)

The Trans Canada Trail

(Image credit: TBC)

Nylon Haneda by WANT luggage

WANT luggage, Montreal

Nylon Haneda by WANT luggage

(Image credit: TBC)

Newberry White

(Image credit: TBC)

Newberry White by WANT luggage

Nylon Haneda

(Image credit: TBC)

Dumont black

(Image credit: TBC)

Dumont black by WANT luggage

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster, designed in 1958, Vancouver

Read the article: Wooden rollercoaster

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster

(Image credit: TBC)

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster, Vancouver

(Image credit: TBC)

Carl Phare's wooden rollercoaster, Vancouver

Fashion by Ying Gao

Read the article: Ying Gao, Montreal

Fashion by Ying Gao

(Image credit: TBC)

Fashion by Ying Gao, Montreal

Fashion by Ying Gao

(Image credit: TBC)

Fashion by Ying Gao

(Image credit: TBC)
TOPICS
Canada Wallpaper Reviews Toronto
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).

Latest
You might also like
View More ▸