Pierre de Coubertin . Pie IX | Hochelaga

The project consists of expanding a residential building located in Mercier – Hochelaga Maisonneuve borough, adjacent to the Olympic Park. The existing building had been damaged by a fire in 2018 and was unoccupied for several years since then.

The facades original components’ reconstruction and the limestone ornaments’ conservation was critical throughout the design process, while increasing the livable space. We added a fourth floor and extended the building towards Pierre de Coubertin street side. Formerly a triplex, the project now offers twenty-two apartments, many of which are affordable.

The restored building illustrates the homogeneous residential architecture of the district, characterized by buildings of at least two floors and mainly covered with bricks and interrupted by stone inclusions. The curved ornaments of the cornice and above the windows bear witness to the 1930s.

The new addition is inspired by the original building, but stands out with its contrasting materiality and understated openings. The choice of a beige brick allows to dissociate the new building from the original one, while making a subtle reminder of its proportions. The living room’s windows of the addition are wider in order to favor natural light in this living space.

The fourth floor extension is discreetly inserted and set back from the two distinguished volumes. Covered in a pale gray cladding similar to the limestone color, its geometry unifies the two volumes. The rooftop terrace and garden is accessible to all the inhabitants of the building from which is offered a panoramic view of the Olympic Park and its surroundings.

 
Role: Lead architect.