Retreat on the Main

Type: Existing building rehabilitation and adaptive reuse
Location: Ville-Marie, Montréal
Year: 2019
Consultants: Calculatec Inc., structural engineer
Photos: Steve Montpetit, Yousef Farasat, Thomas Evans

The 1500-square-foot units are designed as compact apartments composed of five bedrooms, two bathrooms and an office as well as a rooftop terrace that is accessed off the back of the living spaces on the lower floor. Above the main staircase, there is a large skylight that brings light down from the roof level to the center of the living spaces two floors below.

The open-riser staircase in each apartment features solid wood treads that appear to float between the steel plate guardrail and walls. This also allows light to filter down from above and be reflected into the space below. The guard was designed as a ribbon that unfurls from one level to the other and creates a focal piece connecting the two floors.
The second phase of the project (not pictured) was completed in January 2020 and included the replacement of the commercial façade as well as the complete renovation of the ground floor and basement commercial spaces. This work included the excavation of the basement to gain extra height, redo underground plumbing, pouring footings for the new two-floor steel structure, installing a new ventilation and dehumidification system and adding a french drain along the perimeter of the field stone foundation.