House of the Week: $20 million for a ravine home in Rosedale with a roof that’s actually alive

Neighbourhood: Rosedale–Moore Park Price: $19,995,000 Size: 7,000 square feet Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4 Real estate agent: Gillian Oxley, Royal LePage

The Place

A four-storey, four-bedroom, five-bathroom ravine home steps from Rosedale’s parkland. The one-of-a-kind property is equipped with a Gingko green roof, a glass elevator and a backyard deck the size of a tennis court. It’s within walking distance of Evergreen Brick Works, Craigleigh Gardens and both Sherbourne and Castle Frank stations. And motorists are a short drive from the DVP, Bayview and St. Clair.

The History

Eb Zeidler, the architect behind the Eaton Centre and Ontario Place, designed the home, which its current owners purchased in 2011 and started renovating. They entrusted Architects Alliance with delivering contemporary upgrades that were respectful to the original vision.

Related: $2 million for a Scarborough detached with a gold-plated LED wall

The Tour

The façade is a mix of old and modern, with the original stone juxtaposed against the glass and steel.

The foyer is characterized by volcanic basalt floors lined with radiant heating and a grand piano, of course.

Here’s the dining room, with the kitchen on the left and wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the courtyard and pool on the right.

See?

Turn around and you’re in the kitchen, illuminated by a large skylight inspired by the Eaton Centre’s galleria.

The kitchen is almost too pristine to cook in. Here, residents will find Krion counters lining the absurdly long island, Gaggenau appliances and plenty of storage.

Speaking of storage, check out the camouflaged appliance garage on the right.

Now for the family room loft, which features soaring ceilings and a gas fireplace with Italian-marble slabs.

A reverse angle reveals the rec zone behind the lounge, with its own TV and built-in Bose sound system.

The vestibule leading to the deck functions as a sunroom of sorts.

There’s another lounge up in the loft space.

Heading to the second floor brings us to the main suite, complete with more heated floors and its own private balcony.

The suite also has a gas fireplace and a window nook for admiring the ravine.

Here’s the five-piece main ensuite bathroom, with Vola taps, Italian stone and a Corian cabinet straight from Star Wars. 

The main ensuite also comes with a shower room, a soaker tub and built-in speakers.

Down the hall is this sky-lit secondary bedroom, which the current owners have outfitted as a fitness centre.

Here’s a peek inside the sauna. There’s also a humidity-controlled 250-bottle wine cellar just outside.

Now let’s descend to the backyard via this striking staircase, which twists through multiple levels of manicured gardens.

The backyard has a jumbo deck with a Bonavista pool, a custom hot tub and an outdoor shower.

At dusk, the home’s window wall gives the oasis a warm glow.

This is the lounge, with an integrated gas grill plus stainless steel counters and cabinets.

The two-car garage has a mudroom and a laundry room. The driveway is heated.

Lastly, here’s a bird’s eye view of the entire estate, surrounded by indigenous trees and plant species. Note the green roof, which collects storm water, provides a habitat to wildlife and cools the home.

Have a home that’s about to hit the market? Send your property to realestate@torontolife.com.