Custom Elevator Unites the Old and the New at The Glen

“It’s always wonderful to work with clients who really understand how they want people to experience the space,” says Vanessa Fong, Principal Architect at VFA Architecture, a Toronto-based firm known for using innovative approaches to arrive at beautiful, practical and finely crafted solutions.

“With The Glen, what started as a simple addition above a garage grew as a labor of love for the homeowners and became a place to create joy and togetherness with their family and friends. And with our clients approaching retirement age, it was also important for them to be able to stay in this home that they loved and age in place, so it also needed to be accessible.”

Finding Alignment

At the heart of the renovation was the challenge of unifying the existing home with a contemporary addition while maintaining intuitive, barrier-free circulation between the two.

Site conditions played a defining role. Due to the slope along that side of the property, the design team faced a key decision: step the addition down half a level at each floor to achieve a true walk-out to the garden, or elevate the structure and introduce stairs between the interior and the landscape.

“My clients knew what they wanted people to feel and experience when entering the addition, whether from the original part of the house, coming up from the pool, or arriving for a party. And we didn’t want the barrier of steps at the garden entrance. That made the choice easy.”

While the direction was clear, the execution required careful planning.

“We had to really think about making the transitional space between the original home and the addition feel fluid and connected, even though the levels aren’t, well, level from one to the other. And that’s where the elevator plays a central role.”

For The Glen, the team specified the Savaria Eclipse home elevator, selected for its configuration flexibility—including half-floor stops—its compact, machine-roomless design, and its proven geared-chain drive system. 

“We’d specified Savaria home elevators on other projects, so we know almost anything is possible,” says Fong. “Savaria has enough products that there’s always something to fit the design goal, rather than altering the plan to suit the product.”

The modular platform supports efficient installation and offers capacities from 750 lb to 1,000 lb, along with minimal structural requirements: an 8-inch pit depth and just 96 inches of overhead clearance. Multiple entry and exit configurations—same-side, straight-through, or 90-degree—allow the Eclipse to integrate seamlessly into a wide range of residential layouts.

Savaria even engineered and manufactured the elevator to stop at every half-level (two stops on the old side of the home, and two stops on the new side), truly making the elevator a key link between the living spaces.

Harmonized Aesthetics

“We usually see home elevators as mainly utilitarian and a feature for aging in place, so we hide them inside completely solid shaftways, tucked away. We put them behind millwork and panels. And the design aesthetic of the cab is sometimes an afterthought. For The Glen we wanted the elevator to be a showcase piece and an integral aspect of the home’s interior design. We all had a lot of fun picking finishes that would also deliver the required functionality like capacity, safety and durability.”

To support that vision, the elevator was customized with finishes chosen to complement the home’s interior palette. Wood paneling was selected for the cab interior, and fixtures were coordinated with existing hardware throughout the residence. The Savaria touchscreen cab operating panel added a perfect touch of tech. And to show off that custom cab, auto slim black-framed glass doors and cab gates allow a sleek view from both inside and outside the cab.

Perhaps the most unexpected design element appears within the hoistway itself: a custom wallpaper mural by Rebel Walls, visible when the elevator car is on another floor.

“The interior of the shaft is a visual design element all on its own,” says Fong. “We’re thrilled with how it turned out!”

A Forever Home

The completed project delivers a cohesive living environment that supports mobility, comfort, and long-term livability. The Savaria Eclipse elevator provides smooth, reliable access between floors, enhancing everyday use while preparing the home for future accessibility needs.

“A lot of thought and care went into every element of the addition,” says Fong. “And as always, our friends at Hummingbird Hill Homes did an amazing job with the execution of the build. Their talent and craftmanship really shows through at The Glen.”

Find more case studies, educational content and design tools for home elevators at Savaria.com/professionals.

The Glen Eclipse Specifications

• 4 stops, 185’ total travel
• 40” x 54” x 96” cab
• Type 4 (two doors/90-degree)
• Blackened stainless steel fixtures
• Auto slim, black-framed glass doors and cab gates
• Black ceiling
• Interactive touchscreen car operating panel (COP)
• Contractor supplied custom cab in fluted white oak and oak flooring, surface-mounted LED lights

Project Credits

Design: VFA Architecture

Builder: Hummingbird Hill Homes

Hoistway Wallpaper: Rebel Walls

Elevator: Savaria