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Architects: Hatem+D / Etienne Bernier Architecte
- Area: 3120 ft²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:1Px Dave Tremblay
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Manufacturers: Alumilex, Espace-Bois, Plancher Bois Franc Gagne
Text description provided by the architects. This house extension project is located in St-Roch, in the heart of Quebec City. Built in 1915, this former rooming house was renovated and converted into a single-family house. On the facade overlooking the street, the authentic style of the house was preserved by enhancing the look of the cornice and the woodwork and by having its contrast with the contemporary burnt wood of the rear extension.
The St-Roch district is dense and mineral, with very few trees found on the streets. Therefore, the challenge was to open up the residence to the vegetation of the garden in order to maximize brightness and integrate the backyard into the project. In order to create an impression of a vast and airy space, the dining room, the kitchen, the living room and the reading corner were converted into an open space, covering most of the ground floor. To fully maximize the open surface, the bathroom was concealed under the staircase and the vestibule was separated from the living room by a piece of furniture with a glass wall.
The ground floor space extends to the terrace on the same level as the interior floor finish. The preeminence of white and the plain wood floors create a luminous and modern ambiance. The four bedrooms are located upstairs, as well as a boudoir that opens up to the corridor. This particular area, which can be closed with a folding and sliding wall, fulfills the family’s needs for privacy while creating space and bringing in natural light into the central corridor.
The house extension, sober and modest, is made of black burnt wood and white brick from the existing house. The 19 feet long bay window, which opens up to the garden, stands as the extravagant touch of the project. The La Salle Residence proves that it is entirely possible to obtain a contemporary residence with incredible spatial qualities on a tight budget, by keeping the focus on the priorities (the windows, for example) and the main goals.
