Microclimat, an architecture firm based in Montreal, Quebec chased the sun – quite literally – with their Maison 1st Avenue in the borough of Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, an area of densely situated small homes.
For Maison 1st Avenue, the architects at Microclimat renovated an obsolete building into a new home for their clients. The focus? To maximize open interior spaces infused with an abundance of natural light. With that in mind, they reoriented the back wall of the house at an angle to face south for maximum daylight.
I love when architects contrast colours! In this case, the front facade is comprised predominantly of charcoal brick, while the asymmetrical rear exterior of the house is white stucco.
An expansive wall of glazing on the south exposure blurs the distinction between inside and out, while functionally connecting the interior and exterior living spaces, such as the kitchen and outdoor barbecue.
A contemporary floating staircase artfully takes centre stage. Crafted of bespoke wood and glass, this material palette (along with concrete floors and crisp white walls) are used throughout Maison 1st Avenue, which cohesively grounds the space while creating monochromatic continuity!
Microclimat’s mission statement is to “…Exploit the full potential of underutilized land and to rethink it as a living space perfectly adapted to urban life”. In the instance of Maison 1st Avenue, the architects created a modern residence that compliments an existing traditional Montreal neighbourhood, without disrupting the scale of the immediate built environment.
Make sure to visit Microclimat to explore their innovative designs!
If you’re interested in seeing other creative Quebec residences check out these posts on canadianrealestatehousingandhome.ca:
Le Lupin By Atelier Pierre Thibault In Quebec
It’s Human Nature … A Montreal Renovation
Crossover Appeal In Montreal By Naturehumaine
Photos courtesy of Adrien Williams
Researched and written by Guhar Ullah, Specializing in Architecture at University of Toronto’s John H Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design.
