June 13, 2023
Architect Tom Knezic knows multiplexes.
The Solares Architecture co-founder has designed at least a dozen of them and even built some himself.
With Toronto set to permit their wider adoption across city neighbourhoods, he’s anticipating they’ll become easier to build, with fewer development hurdles to deal with.
“It’s exciting. It makes a big difference,” said Knezic, whose recent work includes a soon-to-be-completed fourplex in Toronto’s Regal Heights neighbourhood.
“It overcomes many of the problems that we’ve had in this type of development.”
Last month, Toronto city councillors voted in favour of approving the building of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in neighbourhoods across the city, though the associated amendments are not yet in effect.
A more plentiful supply of multiplexes could deliver more housing choices for some Torontonians, though any bump in affordable housing stock is seemingly unlikely.
Yet building design and development experts say the multiplex form can give more people a home on the same parcels of land, while providing options for revamping properties accordingly.
