Portland Residence
The Residence Portland, a stone house with a historic character, is located in the town of Mont-Royal, built at the dawn of the 20th century according to a “model city” urban plan. The architectural firm Atelier Barda signs the complete renovation of the property, as well as a collection of furniture signed Foraine by Atelier Barda, the studio's furniture development division.
The mandate given to the architects consisted of redeveloping all of the spaces on the 3 levels totaling 3000 sq. Ft. And adding an extension to the back of the house. Its location in the heart of the garden city and the desire to respect the heritage of the surrounding built environment, guided the design of the project.
The ground floor, the main living space, is distinguished from the other two floors by its open layout. The partitioned distribution of the original residence has been completely reconfigured to offer fluid and intuitive circulation. A central technical unit, around which family life revolves, was designed in the style of a black box linking the different levels. Including cloakroom, bathroom, kitchen equipment, access to stairs and library, it serves as a transition between intimate spaces (bathrooms, bedrooms) and common spaces (living room, hall, kitchen, living room) and thus frees up space. peripheral space as a place of life. Dressed in anthracite oak, it contrasts with the light tones of the rest of the space. The different materials selected contribute to the soft atmosphere of the whole.
The thicknesses of the materials have been concealed in order to obtain sharp edges at the junction of the surfaces, thus blurring the perceptions of volume and juxtaposition. Moreover, in addition to referring to the architectural elements of the original decor, the curved walls contribute to the fluid transition between spaces.
On the garden side, a glass roof made up of load-bearing curtain walls has been integrated into the existing house and distributes natural and diffused light over the entire floor. The fine black steel joinery conceals the high thermal resistance system adapted to the variations of the Quebec climate.
Multiple architectural details punctuate the interior course, from the choice of materials to the play of curves, including the care taken to custom-made elements, for example the stone fireplace mantel, the kitchen hood or even the handrail. and the staircase railing.
In the living room, the iconic Sede sofa facing the fireplace contributes to the hierarchy of spaces, as well as to directing circulation. The various pieces of solid anthracite oak furniture with timeless lines signed Foraine (dining table, bench, coffee table, end tables, night tables), were designed and developed to fit into the project.
The bedrooms are located upstairs, as well as a private office. The classic lime plaster, the tadelakt and the marble slab floor temper the atmosphere of the bathrooms. The skylight above the staircase provides abundant natural light which penetrates into the bedrooms. Freed from the constraints of the existing, the project now reveals the soul of the place by associating it with a current look.
Type: Residential (Transformation and interior design) | Furniture design: Foraine by Atelier Barda | City: Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada | Area: 3000 ft2 | Structural engineers: Lateral | Photo credits: Alex Lesage, Threefold
