York Region
Architect in Aurora
A home that no longer fits your family does not always need to be replaced. In Aurora, the right addition or interior reconfiguration can improve everyday life while keeping the qualities that drew you to the neighbourhood. OAN develops architectural designs around your priorities, the existing building and the space your property can support.
Discuss your project01A sense of place
More room to live, with respect for the street
Aurora's Northeast Old Aurora Heritage Conservation District has its own rules for managing change. Elsewhere, an established street still deserves a careful response. We look at how a proposed addition meets the original house, where new windows face, and how the entrance and roofline will appear from the sidewalk.
Start with the property's heritage status
A district boundary matters as much as the age of your house. Aurora requires approvals for exterior changes within a heritage conservation district. Check the address and relevant district guidance before choosing replacement materials or settling on the shape of an addition.
Make the addition work inside and outside
Extra floor area should solve a specific problem. Map the route from the entrance to the kitchen, the rooms that need daylight and the spaces where privacy matters. Then test the building height, setbacks and coverage before developing a preferred design.
Plan the work you can actually build
A design needs to connect to the existing structure and services. Measured information and coordinated consultant drawings help make that connection clear. Aurora's permit guidance is a starting point for identifying the drawings and approvals your particular renovation will need.
02Designed around you
What are you planning in Aurora?
Family home additions
Create a better kitchen, an accessible bedroom or a more useful second floor, with circulation that feels part of the original home.
Infill and replacement homes
Explore a house tailored to your lot, balancing indoor space, a practical driveway, outdoor living and the scale of neighbouring homes.
Business interiors
Rework a shop or office around customer arrival, staff movement, storage and access, with the existing building's limitations considered from the beginning.
03A clear way forward
Turn your ideas into a considered design.
You do not need to arrive with all the answers. We start with what you want to achieve, then shape the architectural work around your property and priorities.
- 01 / 03
Tell us what needs to work better
Share how you will use the space, your budget priorities and your timing. Existing drawings, a survey and site photographs help us understand the starting point.
- 02 / 03
Explore the design decisions
We develop the layout and building form around your brief. Site conditions and applicable requirements help shape the options before the detail grows.
- 03 / 03
Develop coordinated drawings
Once the direction is agreed, we develop the architectural drawings within the agreed scope and coordinate with the consultants your project needs.
Before you begin
Questions about building in Aurora
Can I add a contemporary extension to an older Aurora home?
The answer depends on the property and any heritage designation. A clear design can distinguish new work while respecting important original features. We begin with the building's status, its existing form and your space needs before developing an architectural approach.
What should I have ready for an addition discussion?
Bring the address, a survey if available, photographs and a short list of what is not working in the house. Include any previous drawings or municipal correspondence. These help establish whether reconfiguration, an addition or another approach deserves closer study.
Useful local resources
These official pages can help you prepare for a conversation. The requirements for your address and proposed work should be confirmed before the design is finalized.
- Review heritage guidance (opens in a new tab)
Check district boundaries and the review of exterior alterations and new construction.
- Read permit information (opens in a new tab)
Find the Town's building application information and permit submission routes.
Planning a project in Aurora?
Tell us what your Aurora home or business needs to do better. We will help define the architectural scope and the information needed to start.