What does it take to make a multiplex? A lot of planning and a healthy budget

Architect Tom Knezic knows multiplexes.

The Solares Architecture co-founder has designed at least a dozen of them and even built some himself.

With Toronto set to permit their wider adoption across city neighbourhoods, he's anticipating they'll become easier to build, with fewer development hurdles to deal with.

"It's exciting. It makes a big difference," said Knezic, whose recent work includes a soon-to-be-completed fourplex in Toronto's Regal Heights neighbourhood.

"It overcomes many of the problems that we've had in this type of development."

Last month, Toronto city councillors voted in favour of approving the building of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in neighbourhoods across the city, though the associated amendments are not yet in effect.

A more plentiful supply of multiplexes could deliver more housing choices for some Torontonians, though any bump in affordable housing stock is seemingly unlikely.

Yet building design and development experts say the multiplex form can give more people a home on the same parcels of land, while providing options for revamping properties accordingly.

"The city has to do a lot of things to resolve the housing issues that we're experiencing right now," said Graig Uens, director of planning at Toronto's Batory Management, pointing to establishing a new generation of multiplexes as one such step.

"What it will do is introduce greater variety of rental housing into areas of the city where there's great demand for it," added Uens, who previously worked as a senior planner for the city.

Here's a brief look at what's involved in the making of a multiplex.

How does it start?

Michael Piper, an assistant professor of urban design and architecture at the University of Toronto, said the first step is to figure out what's permissible — and then what's possible — on a particular lot.

"Often times, people contact a builder or an architect to facilitate that," said Piper.