Project Name: Grand Trunk
Project Type: Renovation and Expansion – 4 Townhouses
Location: Southwest Montreal
Area: 2,185 sq ft per floor
Renovation Completion: 2019
Photographer: Maxime Brouillet
General Contractor: Cocoon Development
publications:
The facade of the project is mainly integrated on the street, maintaining the traditional template (volumetry, materials, regular and aligned openings), thus preserving the rhythm of the typical parcel lot on the street.
The project is distinguished by a dialogue between the extension and the traditional background, allowing us to appreciate the demarcation between past and present and their coexistence. The link between the two volumes anchors the whole and creates a surprising opening onto the inner courtyard, reminiscent of the porte cochères so typical of the neighborhood and the era of the existing building.
The renovation incorporates the traditional elements of the existing building, such as the window typology, the regularity and the existing cornice.
The traditional wooden elements that marked the commercial part of the existing building are taken up again in the treatment of the entrances on Grand Trunk. This typology alludes to the typical carriage entrances of working-class buildings on Grand Trunk Street, providing a nod to the past while unifying the facade with its context.
The new volume stretches along Rue Ropery like a hyphen, anchoring itself in the grid and weaving links with neighboring buildings. This volume contrasts with the existing building, marking its temporality. The treatment of this part of the facade brings a modern touch to the present day.