Solares Architecture

The smartest thing we did in taking on an extensive renovation of a challenging house in Dundas was to hire Solares Architecture to design a house that would meet all our needs. Through a process that was deeply collaborative, Christine transformed a dark, enclosed fifties bungalow into an incredibly beautiful and sustainable home that allows us to be a part of the landscape that surrounds us. Solares is a firm that produces extensive and incredibly detailed plans. Their design aesthetic is stylish and contemporary. It is focused on producing quality, ecologically sustainable buildings. Most importantly, Solares is committed to designing houses that meet the unique desires and needs of the people who are going to live in them. We are very grateful that in negotiating the complexities of a major renovation, we were able to draw upon the knowledge and skills of such a fine architectural firm.

Excellent customer service and was extremely happy with the project. They were very prompt and responsive, can't ask for more.

We decided to go the full renovation route on one of our existing homes that would better accommodate the needs of our newly blended family. To do that, we began to research local architecture firms. We were introduced to Solares Architecture and found the team to be down to earth, highly skilled and aligned to what we wanted. Melodie Coneybeare, as the lead architect, brought the perfect mix of creativity, practicality and a keen eye for detail that made our whole home reno a huge success. From start to finish, she guided us through the process of re-imagining a home that works so much better. It's not only highly sustainable (our gas bill is less than $75 per month!), it now looks amazing and takes full advantage of our ravine lot. Each morning we get to gaze through floor-to-ceiling windows that face the back yard and wooded ravine beyond. We love it. We would highly recommend the Solares Architecture team for your next project.

My husband and I contacted Solares after purchasing a property with a very small home on it. We had a dream of tearing it down and building a custom home. We couldn't be happier with Melodie and the whole Solares team. They helped us through every step of the process. At the start we weren't really sure on what we wanted to build, Melodie was so helpful with providing options and different designs, she listened to everything we said and always took our feedback seriously. She was also immensely helpful in navigating the extra permits we needed from the TRCA and even helped us interview builders. Her attention to details was amazing and I really wouldn't change a thing about our experience with Solares. We are now living in our dream home and have Solares to thank!

In 2017 me and my wife contacted Solares about the possibility of building a laneway suite above an existing garage. We had been told that the property was a unique one in terms of zoning as it fell into a residential and commercial zone. After our first conversation with Tom we knew we had found a team that was super knowledgeable about the process of getting it done and the hurdles we would need to go through to make it happen. Tom was so good at explaining our options and explaining the process through city hall. he kept us in the loop the entire time and every time the city threw us another curveball, he handled it with so much knowledge and experience it made an otherwise very stressful situation very easy and even enjoyable. After all the city hall stuff was taken care of and we got to the design stage we were once again blown away with the incredible work by the entire team. We didn't realize just how amazing of a project we were getting ourselves into. The design was above and beyond what we expected. They managed to create an eco-friendly , natural light filled, beautiful home with everything we needed for a family of 4. Everyone we dealt with at Solares was so friendly , caring and professional. Tom and Christine were an absolute pleasure to speak to and meet with. a huge thank you to Melodie for all the work she spent with us designing interiors and answering all our questions so promptly and being so knowledgeable. We are so happy with how our project turned out. Our original idea was transformed into something we never thought it could be thanks to Solares. We cannot recommend them enough

Solares took our major renovation project in Toronto from conceptual design to reality. The project was a full renovation from top to bottom and managed beautifully by Tom and his team. We were living internationally at the time and Solares was also responsible for the oversight of the build. We always felt our project was in good hands with Solares and had 100% confidence in their team. Tom and his team are also experts in sustainable design and their attention to detail is like no other. We were also so impressed with their patience to our ever changing needs! Communication was fantastic and Tom and his team were very solution focused and worked within our budget. Tom and his team always went the extra mile. We love the beautiful home they designed for us and highly recommend working with them!

Solares Architecture helped us realize our dream of an inspiring retirement home. We had lived for 30 years in a large house that accommodated both our family and business. We wanted to downsize to an elegant, low maintenance home on our forest property. Christine Lolley and Lilia Sosedova understood our vision of a modern design that reflected its environment and enabled beautiful views from every vantage. They worked with us to address our interests and the requirements of our life stage, integrating many age-in-place features. They listened well. Solares provided end-to-end services including design, advice on materials, technology and fixtures, and they monitored the construction. Building a house is complex process with thousands of decisions. At each stage, Solares gave us curated options from which we chose with confidence. We love our unique home in the woods. Our family and friends do as well. Thank you, Solares for creating a beautiful space for our next chapter in life.

Solares Architecture We found Solares Architecture on-line, in a search for a local firm that specialized in energy efficient, “net-zero” or “passive” home design and construction. It was the first firm we contacted. An exploratory office visit resulted in a 45 minute discussion about various ways we could proceed. Based on that one visit we hired Solares to assist us with site selection and then to design and administer the construction of our new house in Paris, Ontario. We did not conduct a competitive bidding process. We did not meet or interview any other architects. We had met our perfect partners and we never questioned that decision. We celebrated it from beginning to end. Solares is a small firm, the founders and principals of which are the wife and husband, Christine Lolley and Tom Knezic. Tom Knezic worked with us on site selection, which meant checking out sites that we thought had promise and pointing out the pros and cons of each. He was extremely thoughtful and instructive, which enabled us to rule out several sites independently, reducing our need to consult on only the most serious possibilities. This attention to minimizing our financial exposure was a hallmark of our overall relationship. Christine Lolley led the design process and it started with 3 things: 1.an exercise where we each independently wrote answers to a series of questions that would help Christine understand us, our lifestyles, how we would use the house and the new community in which we would live; 2.a facility program that we wrote, that described our goals for the house, the functional spaces we wanted in the house, the ideal adjacencies of spaces where relevant, the types of construction we were interested in (based on our own research into passive construction); the types of finishes that we were interested in, and 3. the detailed articulation of our “all-in”budget, a process led by Christine and which included design, construction, fixtures, mechanical, appliances and lighting. Each of these tasks was time consuming but all of them, done at the outset of the design process, were crucial to the ultimate success of the venture. We revisited our plans many times throughout the series of weekly design meetings that ensued, to make sure we were following our program. With third party costing sought by Christine at each critical step,we were forced to test every decision that we made against our priorities and budget. Christine was not only a brilliant designer, but a superb steward, always placing our interests at the core of her work (and many times protecting us from ourselves.) It helped that we shared aesthetic taste, so in all things we quickly came to trust her, and her team, with the biggest project of our lives. Our goals for the house were essentially 2-fold. 1.to build a 21st century house that is environmentally, technologically, and aesthetically of our time. 2.to build a home that is well designed, comfortable, efficient to use and easy to care for and to manage well into our old age. Here are some stories that stand out for us as we reflected on the experience of working with the remarkable Solares team: 1.Substance vs Style We had what we imagined were simple and affordable dreams for the interior finishing of the house. We wanted polished concrete floors for example, no need for expensive hardwood. We wanted to support local artisans with custom cabinetry in natural wood, a way to warm the contemporary design. But the very first estimate of our dream house put the brakes on. Concrete floors, it turns out, are the most expensive because of the load-bearing infrastructure required, and custom cabinetry was the warmth we simply could not afford. So, Christine made the case for pre-engineered wooden floors (we agreed) and IKEA cabinetry (Hmm). When we turned up our noses at the latter, she planned a road trip. First, she took us to her own home, and then to the Solares-renovated home of a client in Guelph. Both were outfitted with IK EA cabinetry, built-in and finished to appear customized. Not only were we won over, but we also committed to assembling much of it ourselves to save substantially on installation costs.. Our main priorities were to achieve superb design and energy efficiency and that is where our money would go. That set the tone from then on in. 2.Anything is possible Not long before we were to break ground, we called Christine in a panic. We had spent the weekend reviewing our finances against the project budget only to realize that we had not factored in taxes. It was a very big number. We thought we may have to pull out. We asked for a meeting urgently. Christine said, “Don’t worry, I have all kinds of ideas about what to do. Come in at 2pm”. Already we felt better. After the meeting, where we tweaked, value engineered and put in some delays, we were back in business. Christine was relaxed, clear, reassuring. And she never made us feel stupid for what was clearly a not-very-smart oversight. For her it was all par for the course. 3.Value engineering is an art Finding ways to economize without compromising design, is a Solares strength. There were a number of features we were loathe to sacrifice that could have helped the budget: in-floor heating, a walk-in kitchen pantry, a main floor powder room and, my husband’s personal favourite, a urinal in the master bath. At various decision- making points, Christine would raise these items as possible targets for value engineering, but we held firm. She always found other creative ways to work with and around our stubbornness on these matters. For example, at Christine’s suggestion,we took responsibility for a big chunk of the contractor selection process. With Christine, we short listed potential builders based on their competitive bids.Then we went out on our own and interviewed each of them. We went to their offices, met with the proprietors, saw their operations, asked a lot of questions, looked at their previous work, sought references, and made our choice. Similarly, we followed through on a jointly prepared short list of window and door suppliers. Not only did we save on many hours of architect fees, but we learned a great deal, and developed important personal relationships with key people involved with the project. 4.Everyone is human We were excited about some of the “little” things in the house. One of them was the curb-less, doorless shower. It was a “live-in-the-house-to-very-old age” feature that would also look beautiful. During the build-out of the shower, we got a phone-call from Christine. “There is a problem with the shower and it is our fault. Our drawings were incorrect and the floor is not curb-free. We can’t rebuild it without affecting the already built ceilings below. But I am going to fix it and the cost is on us.” At first, our hearts sank, but she said she was going to fix it, and we trusted her, so we relaxed, and she did. It wasn’t easy, and the plumber had to be persuaded by some creative solutions, but the job was done beautifully and seamlessly. Solares stands by their work, and takes responsibility for their errors. 5.Testing for success We wanted the most energy efficient home we could manage within our budget and which made sense in our geographic climate. It was why we reached out to Solares in the first place. Christine walked us through all of the construction methods and materials. If built correctly we would have a well sealed home that would achieve only 1 air exchange per hour. It then became the builder’s contractual obligation to deliver on this promise. When the house was erected and fully closed, but prior to drywall and exterior cladding, the first third-party air-exchange test was conducted. It was very close at 1.4. The tester identified specific areas that could be sealed better, and assured us that once these small measures were addressed, and the house was dry-walled and clad, we would certainly achieve our goal. When the house was finished, we ordered a second test on our own, to satisfy our curiosity. It was exciting for all of us to see that the house performed even slightly better than promised! We unreservedly recommend Solares Architecture. It was the architect-client relationship we never thought was possible. All members of the team are extremely talented, professional, accountable, up-to-date on the current science and materials, passionate, supportive and gracious. They brought superb structural and mechanical consultants to the table and they managed them, the builders and us, with a calm and reasoned demeanor. Most important, we adore our home. It feels right in every way. We have been asked if there is anything we would do differently now that we have been living in it for several months. The answer is yes: We would chose a wall oven with a right-hinged door instead of a left-hinged door. Too bad we didn’t ask Christine about that before we placed the order.

Solares Architecture provided outstanding service. The lead architect Christine was stellar all the way through. Without her day to day hands on management and ability to explain complex situations we would have been at a loss. Christine's commitment to our project went beyond everything we expected and without her diligence and the work of her team the project wouldn't have finished on time. They went above and beyond, so much so as to have the contractor to return for detailed finishes. I strongly recommend Solares for all work ranging from new builds to modern renovations. They brought talent, professionalism, creative thinking, incredible patience, and commitment to our project.

I have an architectural firm that has engaged Solares as consultants specializing in sustainable design. I have been extremely impressed with my experience working with Christine Lolley. She is not only incredibly knowledgeable and intelligent, but professional, efficient and a pleasure to work with. I have no doubt that she gives all her clients this top notch service and I would highly recommend their firm. They are passionately committed to their work. We are working together on multiple projects and I look forward to posting pictures when they are completed. Our firm has appreciated learning from Solares and applying the environmentally conscious attitude and education to all of our future projects. Thank you, Christine!

In spring 2015 we purchased our bungalow, built in 1913, a 20-minute walk from downtown Guelph. We had fallen in love with the look of the lovely yellow brick building and decided to leave the exterior as close to original as possible, but completely gut the interior. A three-foot underpinning would turn the six-foot unfinished basement into an area with high ceilings, space for a guest room, and a full bathroom. Solares’ unique approach to a deep energy retrofit started with extended questionnaires which my wife and I were to complete separately. As a result, we had an extremely smooth design and planning phase, even including a challenging re-engineering process to meet our budget. The planning phase took many months, with weekly meetings in the Solares Toronto office, which gave us time to reflect and make decisions with care and confidence. These meetings were always well prepared and results oriented. Our architects struck a fine balance of listening and offering advice, while keeping to our objectives: energy efficiency, functionality, and affordability. As a result, the final design of the project allowed the builder to successfully execute their step of the process within budget. During the planning stage, Solares organized visits to suppliers of critical elements such as windows and doors, arranged a presentation by the local manufacturer of a novel, efficient, and more environmentally friendly wall insulation foam. Via Skype, an energy consultant, presented an optimization study done to select among several options to provide the home with heating and hot-water using electricity only. Thanks to above-standard insulation of the building envelope, we decided that our home did not need any air conditioning at all to maintain a cool and comfortable temperature during the summer heat. Solares recommended the local builder Evolve Builders Group Inc. Throughout the building phase, all communications were held via Solares, ensuring transparency for all parties involved. After almost a full year of living in our renovated home, we are very happy with the bright rooms and their cool Nordic feel. We love to see the WOW-effect that the open-concept main room has on first-time visitors! The performance of the building is matching our high expectations, with an air-tightness of 1.6 ACH and the related low energy use. Roughed-in conduits for a future solar voltaic system are ready to allow a further reduction of energy demand. Work by Solares was consistently done to the highest professional standards. Throughout the project, our relationship was warm and cordial, which made us feel special.

We hired Solares in May 2015 to architect and design the renovation of our circa 1944 home. The renovation was completed in May 2016 and we are still loving the end result. We would definitely work with the Solares team again. Three reasons why: 1. The Solares team Not only did we have a principal architect (Christine) overseeing every stage of our project, we also had a lead architect and other Solares team members skillsets as they were needed. The team brought their architecture and environmental design skills and knowledge to the table, and they also brought a keen sense of function, practicality, and interior design. They know the products, what works, and more importantly, what does not work – all while marrying this up with our design style. They took our vast set of needs and wants for our lifestyle and were able to redesign our home without breaking our budget or our timeline. 2. The process The Solares team follows a very methodical process to move from wants/needs to concepts to practical designs to a completed set of 80+ pages of very, very, very detailed architectural drawings and building specifications. Not only were we presented with multiple design options, we were able to revisit our decisions in the following weeks and make changes. This was all part of the fixed price for engaging Solares. And when we needed an expert opinion to decide, Christine and our lead architect were always there to provide their practical opinion – sometimes getting the rest of the office to chime in if they could not agree. For finishes, we would often go out shopping on the week-end, take photos, and then complimentary samples would be waiting for us at our next weekly meeting – including pricing, quality/enviro specifications, and an opinion how it would fit into the budget or design. Solares is aligned with very professional and competent builders who were included in the selection process which we actively participated in, and made the final decision. We would often hear the tradespeople talking about how easy it is to work with the Solares drawings and specifications because of the level of detail included. During the build process we took advantage of a Solares service whereby they supervised the builder. Our lead architect was our go-between to confirm that everything was built to specification, and she would facilitate the discussions when something had not been done as it should be. We had weekly walkthroughs with the builder, photos were taken, minutes were published, and action items for all (sometimes, even for us). Overall, a very professional project management process. In the end, we were within 2% of our original budget (most of the overage was for a structural “unknown” that was uncovered during day 2 of demolition) and the entire project finished within 1 week of the deadline! 3. Very nice people and easy to work with It was comforting to work with a competent team of people who are genuinely interested in working with us, and have a great sense of humour and dedication. When issues arose (as they do on all renovation projects), the entire Solares team was great about talking about solutions, moving forward, and helping us understand the practicality of working around our existing home’s structure.