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The architecture firm, Provencher_Roy, designed a Montreal residential complex in Griffintown, with a black and white colour palette to draw focus to the architectural shapes and their relationships to surroundings, alongside the landscaped elements crucial to the design.
This residential complex, spanning eight storeys and offering more than 320 condominium units, is a key element of the Les Bassins du Nouveau Havre revitalization master plan. Situated on an abandoned historic site along the Lachine Canal, NOCA Griffintown celebrates the city’s industrial heritage while being just steps away from the downtown core.
The site is bordered by a serene filter marsh on its southern edge, accessible via a wooden pontoon on Des Bassins Street. “Our design embraces and amplifies this natural setting, pulling it into the heart of the residential complex to connect nature with the homes,” says Roch Cayouette, principal partner at Provencher_Roy and lead designer of NOCA.
The landscape concept revolves around extending the filter marsh like a natural carpet on which the residential complex is developed. At the centre of the project is a well-lit landscaped courtyard that connects to the adjacent park and the outdoor terraces of first-floor residences. In summer, this landscape transforms into a tall-grass forest with an angular wooden pier, the inspiration behind the geometric design of the buildings.
The complex’s volumetric design also considers the sun’s movement throughout the day, optimizing natural light infiltration. The diagonal element in the project unifies facades, common spaces, and circulation, resembling sails advancing toward the canal.
On the street- and courtyard-facing sides, the use of pale-coloured masonry and regular fenestration aligns with the neighbouring residential buildings. These facades are opaquer, utilizing white brick to reflect light and illuminate the main floor.
In contrast, the park and canal-facing facades feature a black metallic reflective skin with abundant fenestration to capture light. Generously sized sliding balconies on these sides enhance lighting and architectural movement.
The residential complex provides direct access to common spaces through entrance halls, elevators, and corridors where the two buildings meet. Triangular skylights and adjacent halls illuminate these spaces, which include relaxation areas, co-working spaces, a fitness facility, and a gymnasium. The north building’s rooftop offers a communal terrace with a pool and BBQ.
“Projects always begin in black and white. Colour is not essential. We begin by working with shapes and their relationships with the surrounding landscape. In this case, the project remained in black and white, as colour would detract from the landscape elements we intended to emphasize,” added Cayouette, emphasizing the project’s initial focus on shapes and their relationship with the landscape.
