The Royal Society of Canada

Located in historic Centertown, the 1895 red brick “Walter House” is a heritage building formerly used as a bed and breakfast. After being acquired by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), DS Studio was approached to design a solution that would breathe new life into the space and better suit their office’s needs. Our design focused on improving the building’s functionality while revitalising the house’s rich heritage character. We sought to maintain the original warmth of the residential space while infusing it with a scholarly ambiance to reflect RSC’s academic mandate. The original red brick interior structural walls became features that allowed us to infuse the space with tactile warmth while the modern and clean details and palette elevated the space. The new addition used salvaged original brick and new colour-matched bricks to complement the Walter House façade and existing streetscape but are introduced a stack bond pattern to subtly modernize and differentiate the new addition from the heritage home. To accommodate various event types, we opened up the ground floor with a delicate system of minimal beams and columns to allow flexible layout options. The millwork and furniture were designed to be multifunctional and moveable to complement this. By transforming the ground floor into a versatile event space, enhancing the building’s connection with the community, and preserving the integrity of historic detailing, we’ve created a space for the client that both honours its historical significance while meeting contemporary needs.