York Region
Architect in Richmond Hill
A new home or major addition should feel right on its lot as well as inside its rooms. In Richmond Hill, OAN helps you bring together the family brief, the existing site and the relationship to neighbouring houses, then develops architectural drawings that make those decisions clear.
Discuss your project01A sense of place
A better home starts with a better fit on the lot
Richmond Hill publishes residential project guidelines for infill work and identifies site-alteration requirements within its permit information. That makes the relationship between the building and the ground an early design issue. Entrances, driveways, basement levels and outdoor areas need to be considered together, not added after the house is drawn.
Resolve arrival and site levels together
A front entrance should be convenient, not an afterthought at the top of an awkward stair. Coordinate the proposed floor levels with the driveway, sidewalk and yard, using the required survey and specialist site information. This helps expose conflicts while the design can still change.
Protect daylight and privacy
For an infill house, the position of major rooms and windows matters as much as floor area. Consider where neighbours face your property and where outdoor living will happen. A thoughtful arrangement can provide generous interiors without making every elevation equally exposed.
Match the drawings to the review scope
Richmond Hill's residential permit resources include forms for infill work and other supporting submissions. Establish what is required for the proposal and coordinate the architectural package accordingly. A complete design should explain the relationship between the existing site and proposed construction.
02Designed around you
What are you planning in Richmond Hill?
Custom infill homes
Develop a home around family routines, entry sequence and daylight while working within the lot's applicable height, setback and coverage limits.
Major additions
Connect new living space to the original house with a considered roofline, practical circulation and a clear relationship between indoor rooms and the yard.
Interior and business renovations
Reorganize an existing property to improve access and movement, with architectural layouts coordinated around the structural and service constraints that need specialist review.
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.
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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.
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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 Richmond Hill
Why should grading be discussed before the house layout is final?
The ground level affects entries, basement windows, stairs and driveway connections. Richmond Hill identifies site-alteration requirements for certain residential work. Coordinating that information with the architecture early can prevent a preferred layout from depending on site changes that have not been established.
Can I use a house design from a different Richmond Hill lot?
It can be a useful reference for style or room relationships, but it is not a reliable ready-to-build solution. Lot dimensions, zoning, levels and adjacent buildings differ. The design needs to be tested against your address and adapted to your household's priorities.
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 residential guidance (opens in a new tab)
Find residential application forms, infill guidance and related submission requirements.
- Read permit information (opens in a new tab)
Understand the City's building review and supporting permit resources.
Planning a project in Richmond Hill?
Share your Richmond Hill property address, survey and the spaces your family needs. We will help develop a clear architectural direction for the lot.