REAL ESTATE PROFILE
A Q& A with Stéphanie Cardinal
When Stéphanie Cardinal, architect/ designer and president of Humà Design, was five years old, her career path was already in place. She would follow in her ( architect) father’s footsteps.
As a small child, Stéphanie and her dad would often head out together, tape measure in hand. They’d visit Montreal neighbourhoods, measure the streets and sidewalks, and examine where trees had been planted, to see if enough space had been configured for pedestrians to move about with ease. This favourite pastime paved the way to her present- day field of expertise: designing beautiful spaces in which humans can live, work and play, comfortably.
We sat down together at her office on Chabanel St.
Question: Where did you go to school?
Answer: I did my undergraduate degree in architecture at the University of Montreal and then went to the Universidad Politecnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, for my master’s. The program blended architecture with sociology, economics, philosophy, literature and explored how cities develop and grow. This experience had a deep impact on me. My company’s name, Humà Design, comes from the word humà, which means “human” in the Catalan language.
Can you explain the roles of architects and designers, on a building project?
An architect must understand the city and location where the structure is to be embedded and design it to fit in well with the surroundings. He or she is also the “mastermind” of a project and must consider other professionals working on the building — structural and mechanical engineers, designers, landscapers, etc. It is the architect who guarantees the integrity of the building.
A designer takes care of the space inside, making it functional for the people who will be using it. The interior design is less permanent than exterior, structural architecture. It can be revisited, down the road, as the users’ needs change.
When did you decide to focus on interior design?
I was a young architect, working in my father’s firm, when I had my first child. I wanted to slow down and work more from home. My first project as interior designer was Le Redpath lofts on the Lachine Canal. I thought about the people who would be living in these spaces and how the design I was creating could affect their lives. It’s a big responsibility, which I take very seriously.
Designers must also be willing to adapt to our changing world.
Can you offer an example of how “our changing world” has affected your work?
Today, people of all ages understand the benefits of living centrally. This creates great density in the downtown core, so condo buildings are getting taller and units smaller.
Ten years ago, it was quite common to see two- bedroom condos that were 1,200 square feet. In my most recent project, La Tour des Canadiens 2 ( TDC2), units range from 350- square- foot studios to 1,000- square- foot two- bedrooms.
The biggest challenge I faced was to design a two- bedroom, two- bathroom home within 700 square feet.
People have since visited the model and have said: “It doesn’t feel small; how did you do that?” My answer is that I achieved it by using every inch available efficiently, and by allowing spaces to flow from one to another.
Working on t his project, I learned that when condo units are smaller, common areas and amenities become more important. They are, in a sense, extensions of each dwelling.
What was your inspiration for La Tour des Canadiens 2’ s exquisite common areas?
TDC2 is in the neighbourhood called Quad Windsor and connects not only to the Bell Centre but also the iconic Windsor Station. When I began thinking about the building ’s lobby, sky lounge and wine bar, I kept in mind the days when train travel was luxurious. I pictured fashionably- dressed men and women arriving with their trunks of belongings, a vapoury mist rising from the train platform.
Did you build your own home?
In 2009, I built a country house in the Eastern Townships, on Lake Massawippi. It was constructed using reclaimed wooden beams from a dismantled industrial building. The heating is geothermal.
For the interior design, my priority was for those entering the house to never lose sight of the stunning outdoors. The benefit to me is that I can complete a mundane task, like washing dishes, while looking at the beautiful lake. This is the kind of thing I keep in mind with each project.
What puts the spring in your step?
Every day I am energized by my passion for human beings. I wonder what stories will evolve in spaces I am designing.
My greatest satisfaction comes from people who have shared with me how happy they feel in homes and workplaces I have created. It makes me feel proud.
Today, people of all ages understand the benefits of living centrally. This creates great density in the downtown core so condo buildings are getting taller and units smaller. ... Common areas and amenities become more important ...