Vibrant spiral staircases now give immediate obtain to units in the Saint-Michel Nord housing elaborate in Montreal, which was renovated by Saia Barbarese Topouzanov to update the ageing structures and involve a new pedestrian-helpful avenue.
Located in the underprivileged Saint-Michel neighbourhood, the housing sophisticated was constructed in the 1970s in the brutalist style. Its 185 models lacked pure light-weight, and the building’s lousy strength performance created them unpleasant and high-priced to maintain.
Architecture agency Saia Barbarese Topouzanov‘s intervention draws a new shared road by way of the very long housing block, generating a secure outside room for the inhabitants.
“The shared avenue is incredibly essential to the challenge since it lets for open up pedestrian paths with no useless finishes, strengthening residents’ feeling of safety,” claimed the architects.
Along this axis, vibrant spiral staircases guide to balconies specifically exterior every unit – an amenity that the complicated formerly lacked.
Spiral staircases this kind of as these are a widespread feature in Montreal’s wander-up buildings, providing exterior areas that people could not if not have entry to.
“Overhanging fairly than recessed balconies [create] additional residing house that is significantly appreciated in scorching weather conditions, significantly by people of modest indicates,” the staff said.
Saia Barbarese Topouzanov chose a vibrant and cheerful end for these exterior features that presents each individual creating a somewhat distinctive hue, whilst tying the all round composition together.
“The use of two very similar colors to develop a 3rd created it possible to develop seven distinct colors applying 4 base tones, from really pale yellow to a rich brick-pink,” stated the business.
“In this joyful new environment, the use of colour helps establish residents’ sense of belonging and identification.”
Locating the staircases exterior also authorized the studio to redesign the structure of flats. Individuals that have been beforehand separated by an inner corridor now enjoy at minimum two exposures.
Interiors have been refreshed, and taller home windows had been fitted to provide in far more normal light.
The venture also involved adding a restaurant, a childcare centre and a youth club to the ground floor of the advanced, aiming to enable foster a perception of local community among citizens.
“The architects required to remodel constraints into belongings and provide inhabitants a dignified, luminous and secure atmosphere, disrupting the stigma encompassing social housing and its association with poverty,” stated the group.
The renovation job was concluded in September 2020, and earned a 2021 Excellence Award from the Ordre des Architectes du Québec in the numerous dwelling units group.
Other housing jobs that use vibrant accent characteristics consist of a pair of vibrant blue buildings in Denver that comprise eight studio apartments designed by Productora, and a village of tiny houses in Los Angeles that can give temporary shelter for up to 200 homeless folks.
The images is by James Brittain.
Undertaking credits:
Client: OMHM (Place of work municipal d’habitation de Montréal)
Landscape architects: Vlan
Structural and civil engineers: Cima+
Mechanical and electrical engineers: Aedifica
Environmental consultants: Wooden
Security consultants: Bouthillette Parizeau
General contractor: Cybco