House on De Lorimier
House on De Lorimier is the transformation of a backyard storage building into a single-family home for a young family in the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighborhood. The highly densified lot confers intimacy to the house located amidst a dynamic urban fabric.
The atypical form and setting of the existing building presented a challenge regarding natural light, privacy, and the use of outdoor spaces. To achieve its goal, the building was sculpted, adding, and subtracting from the existing structure.
On De Lorimier avenue at the end of a narrow alley, the entrance is marked by a projecting volume covered with Corten steel panels.
Inside, space expands vertically as the house is bathed with zenithal light from one storey to the next.
On the second floor, skylights illuminate the kitchen and living area. Two small windows provide glimpses of the animated back-alley while a full height opening invites us to the lower terrace on the opposite side.
The private spaces are located on the ground level and are directly accessible from the entrance by concrete and wooden steps. Natural light from above trickles down through an openwork walkway all the way to the bedrooms. The main bedroom with its exposed wooden structure is connected to a private courtyard by way of large sliding doors that supply diffused light.
Both roof levels have terraces. The lower terrace, adjacent to the living area, is protected from the sun. The proximity with the neighbors conveys a courtyard character. The high terrace, connected to the lower one by a staircase with planted steps, is favored to enjoy the sun with a far sight view.
This type of project answers to current challenges of soft densification in urban areas where a great care must be intended to the intervention at hand but also to its environment. Furthermore, this project enabled the conversion of a storage building into a dwelling in a context of growing housing shortage.
Année : 2022
Équipe : Paul Bernier, Alexandre Bernier, Claudia Campeau
Ingénieur en structure : Alain Mousseau (Calculatec)
Photos : ©Raphaël Thibodeau