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Architects: APPAREIL architecture
- Area: 840 ft²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Felix Michaud
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Manufacturers: AutoDesk, APPAREIL Atelier, Hamster, Kastella
Text description provided by the architects. For this project, the APPAREIL Architecture team received the mandate to design an extension for a family home and renovate its shared spaces. Heeding a desire for harmony between the new intervention and the pre-existing architecture, the result inscribes itself into a clean aesthetic with Nordic influences. The Ville Mont-Royal house contained an out-of-date sunroom, which was available for use during only one season. Working in close collaboration with the owners, APPAREIL Architecture designed a new annex which allows optimization of natural light and an improvement of living spaces’ quality.
The project’s initial phase was to develop an extension to the house which acted as a “luminous box”. The openings were maximized using full-height windows highlighting the facade’s orientation. These allow light to permeate the space. Taking advantage of this lighting, a dining room was outfitted and offers, throughout the year, a unique view on the backyard. “With this gain in light, the new dining room is more inviting for family activities, and we have the impression that we eat and live outside all year long” explain the owners.
Inside, the kitchen was redesigned to foster dialogue between old and new elements. Responding to the owners’ wish to preserve the dark tinted floors, the integrated materials are more luminous and neutral. The smooth cupboards with no visible hardware reinforce the space’s soberness. In contrast with this immaculate white environment, a central wooden module stands out by its surface textured with wooden slats. This central piece harmonizes the old and new components of the space. Visible from all rooms, it becomes the ground floor’s focal point. It directs the interior path towards the luminous annex, which opens onto the backyard. Made of walnut, the element brings a touch of warmth and harmonizes with the existing wooden floor. It allows for all essentials to be concealed by acting both as a dish cabinet and pantry. The space is thus unobstructed and seems more spacious.
The intervention further extends throughout the ground floor to open the space and create a welcoming relationship between the rooms. By opening up the ground floor, the configuration facilitates fluid circulation while offering a link to the outdoors. Both inside and outside, this project by APPAREIL Architecture weds modernity and functionality while preserving the original lodging’s inviting spirit.
