by arslan_ahmed | June 21, 2023 1:04 pm
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Situated in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges borough, the Le Paquebot project is heavily influenced in its name and design by the Streamline Moderne, an international architectural style of Art Deco movement which emerged in the 1930s.
Designed by the Montreal architect, naturehumaine, the house’s form echoes an “ocean liner style,” which was influenced by the nautical technological advances of the interwar period. This style is characterized by rounded corners, symmetrical and refined lines, and the inclusion of multiple terraces.
The project consists of a semi-detached duplex, with each housing unit featuring a ground layout of 7.3 x 7.6 m (24 x 25 ft), spread across three floors and a mezzanine. Nestled in a narrow plot previously occupied by a swimming pool serving a neighbouring building, the duplex brings a fresh and innovative presence to its immediate surroundings, which are predominantly composed of multi-residential structures from the 1950s.
To distinguish itself from the adjacent monotonous and uniform buildings, the new structure adopts a more playful design language, incorporating curves in the exterior walls and roofs.
The client’s vision was to provide two spacious family housing units—each measuring 195 m2 (2100 sf)—with a carport, comprising four bedrooms, an office space, and a family room. The layout of the units was carefully designed to create a “family cocoon” where functional and well-lit spaces open to the outdoors, featuring two generous terraces.
The house is arranged across four distinct levels: a basement housing a bedroom and a family room; a ground floor with shared living areas; a children’s floor with two bedrooms; and a mezzanine exclusively designated for the parents. All spaces are interconnected by a central staircase, leading to expansive terraces on both sides of the two units, one benefiting from the morning light in the east, and the other from the evening light in the west.
The facades of the building are adorned with red clay brick, while the curved roofs of the mezzanines are covered in wine-red painted steel. Perforated steel in terracotta hue is used for the railings of the terraces and the privacy screens around the windows. Further, meticulous masonry work is showcased at the two front corners of the duplex, featuring a vertical tiling pattern.
Other collaborators in the project are as follows:
Structural engineer, Geniex; and general contractors, Maxfort Construction and Construction Octane Inc.
The materials suppliers are as follows:
Brick—Kansas Brick & Tile; aluminum doors and windows—Shalwin; exterior lighting fixtures—Dals Lighting; and aluminum exterior and entrance stairs—Prestige Aluminium.
Source URL: https://www.constructioncanada.net/firm-designs-montreal-house-inspired-by-1930s-streamline-moderne/
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