Page 97 - Designing Ways 238

this articulation to mark the programmatic transition from the living
room and the passageway to the kitchen. The staircase leading to the
basement is also carefully inserted in this central corridor.
At the southern edge, along the laneway, a past reallotment had
added a small triangular parcel to the buildable site. This small piece
of land was just wide enough to create an opening onto the patio
from the laneway, an opportunity seized in order to activate the inner
courtyard. An additional door at the corner of the patio creates a
second entry and establishes a direct connection between the house
and the alley. In hindsight, we can say that site constraints, both
urban and regulatory, became the conceptual catalyst of the project.

Internal organisation
The main entrance is situated in the northeast corner. A tall frosted
glass door opens onto a small mudroom where the existing floor
was sunk, an adaptation of the Japanese Genkan which controls the
dissemination into the domestic space of dirt and small gravel that
plagues Quebec streets in the winter. A skylight punctuates the space,
creating a more formal threshold and lighting up the perspective
of the entrance when seen from the living area. The ground floor is
otherwise occupied by a bedroom, a bathroom, and an office. The
office, a writing room, features a big square window with a frontal
view of Alexandra street. A second skylight placed above the staircase
brings natural light all the way down to the basement.

The basement under the original house includes a family room
and a large storage area. The master suite is placed below the newly
built addition, slightly removed from living areas. Despite being
underground, generous natural light comes into the room from a
large light well in the backyard. The master bathroom is separated
from the bedroom by a large glass pane that allows indirect natural
light to come in, while also framing scenes of intimate daily life.

Materiality
The restrained palette of materials used for the exterior and the
interior supports the conceptual clarity of the project while also
acknowledging economic imperatives. The white stucco used for the
addition reinforces the simple geometry and abstract nature of the
project. The red brick of the original house was painted white in order
to create a homogeneous feel throughout the house. The interiors are
simply painted white, keeping the emphasis on the client’s numerous
objects, books, and art. The concrete floor, present on both levels of
the house, continues into the backyard, creating an exterior extension
of the living spaces between the garden and the back facade.

Another typology
The patio is a year-old typology dating back to the Roman era
and present in many different cultures. It is, however, more often
associated with warm climates, than nordic ones and is remarkably
largely absent from Quebec’s and more specifically Montréal’s
architecture. The patio constitutes the main conceptual driver of the
project. It is introduced at the heart of the house to add spatial and
perceptual complexity in an otherwise simple and frugal space. dw
Photo credit: Pelletier de Fontenay
www.pelletierdefontenay.com/marconi-1

dw • Issue 238 97