Restored heritage home gets a modern addition

The owners of this townhouse contacted Montreal architect Guillaume Lévesque for a unique renovation project. They wanted to transform an old 1880s duplex into a multi-unit and harmonise the original style of the building with a decidedly contemporary and uncluttered addition.

"Restoring a 19th-century house while retaining the heritage

A 180m² contemporary addition on three levels was

The form of the addition is distinct from

The attic has been completely covered with new

The living room on the ground floor opens

The terrace covers the driveway to the garage

The addition is all about lightness and a

One indoor-outdoor space offers three different wood treatments.

The black staircase echoes the dramatic cladding.

Contemporary artworks are at home in the contemporary

The island's dark veining connects with the black

Designed by Guillaume Lévesque Architect

From the architects:

Restoration

Restoring a 19th-century house while retaining the heritage and creating a contemporary addition is quite a challenge.

The original 60m² building has been fully restored and converted into two apartments: a two-floor 4 ½ and a 3 ½ on the second floor.

Both apartments are open plan with large 3.65m high side windows carved into the brick wall. The attic has been completely covered with new slate tiles. The dormers and woodworking have been completely rebuilt.

Addition of a contemporary townhouse

A 180m² contemporary addition on three levels was also built at the back of the building. The basement includes a double garage with concealed door and storage rooms, while the living room on the ground floor opens through large sliding doors onto a 4m x 12m outdoor terrace.

This covers the driveway to the garage in the basement and offers a magnificent space for a dining room and sunny outdoor living room.

The second floor contains the master bedroom, two bathrooms, and a living room which can also be a guest bedroom.

The addition includes large openings providing all interior spaces with a considerable amount of natural light. A sober facing of black metal panels covers the contemporary addition and gives the whole building a neat finish.

Overcoming Constraints

The Ville-Marie borough required that the existing building be preserved and restored. A challenge that the team of architects, accompanied by tinsmith craftsmen, cabinet makers, and masons, has successfully taken up.

The basement includes an open-air double garage.

Citations

“I am very proud of the design work and site monitoring that we have accomplished on this townhouse. When I first visited the building with the clients, I knew it was going to be a great challenge.

"I immediately saw the potential of retaining the heritage of the existing building while adding a contemporary volume.

"This project would not exist today without the meticulous work of the contractor and craftsmen, engineers, team of architects, and landscape architect as well as the rigorous follow-up of clients," says architect Guillaume Lévesque