naturehumaine studio has completed the extension of a small townhouse in Montreal, Canada.
“The clients wished to enlarge their 800sq-ft bungalow by adding a second floor to the existing structure. However, the poor conditions of the foundations quickly proved this option impossible…”
The St-Hubert Residence by naturehumaine:
“In turn, the architects studied the possibility to build an extension into the backyard. Again two major constraints were to be found: the Municipality forbid to construct higher than the existing roof membrane and the presence of roc 4-0 ft into the ground made the construction of a basement very costly.
From those limitations, an unconventional solution was developed: compressing the spaces on numerous split-levels to yield the desired rooms, with a stunning double height dining room and a generous provision of natural light.
The selected building materials are deliberately left raw and untouched to bluntly meet the existing structure of the house. And for all its acceptance of roughness, the home’s interior achieves a simple air of authenticity.
Playing in a subversive manner with the numerous constraints, the architects yielded a unique project. Simple and modest, the St-Hubert residence offers nonetheless a rich spatial experience with generous and luminous spaces.”
Photos courtesy of naturehumaine
Source: Contemporist
