Opposites attract at historic Montreal duplex
$2.5M project preserves 1880s-era structure and adds modern townhouse
Marrying a 140-year-old Montreal duplex with a contemporary addition proved to be an attraction of opposites for the architects.
The $2.5-million project — Alexandre-de-Sève Town House and Apartments — in the central, Ville-Marie neighbourhood, was completed this year. It created two, open-plan apartments at the historic front of the house and a modern townhouse addition at the back.
“Two eras come together in this architectural design and each part, front and back, reinforces the position of the other in the composition and the architectural language of the whole,” said Guillaume Lévesque, principal of Guillaume Lévesque architecte, in Montreal.
“The architectural details made by craftsmen in restoring the front facade are exemplary, and contrast with the simple and refined volume of the contemporary rear addition.”
Covering a total 3,336 square feet of living space, the three separate homes include two apartments in the basement, first and second floors fronted by the heritage building. The original, 1880s-era facade with brick facing, slate mansard, cornices and woodwork was restored.
The townhouse, located at the back with a modern facade, is a 1,900-square-foot addition to the home.
It spans three floors with a double garage in the basement; the main entrance, kitchen and living room on the first floor with an exterior terrace over the driveway; and two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a walk-in and laundry room on the second storey.
In the new addition, floors are made of white oak planks, a marble slab creates the kitchen island, and the terrace was built with oiled cedar planks and a galvanized steel structure.
As well, a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and dry sauna were built
in the backyard.
We asked Lévesque a few questions about the Alexandrede-Sève project.
How did you bring together the old with the new?
We used certain materials such as black metal and naturally oiled
wood throughout in order to have a harmonious reading of the building.
The misalignment of the rear volumes, the presence of large glazed openings and the overhang above the terrace create an asymmetry and a strong contrast with the restored architectural details on the existing building.
This design would seem to be very relevant in our current time of pandemic.
This project was designed in 2017-18 and built in 2019-20 — before the pandemic. I agree with you it’s a perfect and relaxing place to live, in the middle of the city during a long pandemic. The owners really appreciate their new home, especially when it’s not possible to take the plane to go out of the country.
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
The biggest challenges were preserving the old part of the building and digging a new basement in the back, building a three-storey-high contemporary addition with a “hidden from the street” double garage door and covering a 40-footlong driveway with a large, exterior wooden terrace.
How did you retain the older part of the home?
The front facade has been rebuilt to find the original architecture and detail components. It was a condition required by the city of Montreal.
The slate mansard was to have the original appearance as were the woodwork and carvings, dormers, windows, cornices, corbels, balconies, railings, doors and windows. The natural stone foundation has been preserved and restored. The freedom in the design of the front façade consisted in the choice of the brick pattern, the choice of the colours of the slate, the wood elements, the coatings of the metal flashings as well as the doors and windows.
We were also able to offer a side facade of the front volume, with very high openings in vertical bands that cut out the brick wall, and having the thickness of a double-row shared wall.