The Globe and Mail

Rhoda Lipton and Benny di Zitti live life on the edge, and the view is spectacular. Their 3,500-square-foot, custom-built home is perched on the edge of the 80-foot Irvine River gorge in Elora. Dug into the fossil-laden bedrock, the house is an inspired testament to a perfect marriage between science and creativity. "I must admit it was quite a process getting here," says Mr. di Zitti, a 62-year-old semi-retired architect and environmental consultant, who for years worked for the World Bank on international urban development projects. "It took a full year to even find out if we could build here." It all began in 1991 when he and his wife -- then Toronto residents -- read a story in The Globe and Mail about Elora, the picturesque little town along the Grand River known for its wonderful old limestone buildings and thriving artistic community. They also noticed a smaller real estate piece about a house for sale that overlooked one of the town's two scenic gorges. Intrigued, they called the listing agent, hopped in the car and made the hour-and-a-half drive to check it out.