Residence Alma – A Spectacular Transformation of a Family Home

Microclimat introduces Residence Alma, which has emerged as a result of transforming a duplex located in Montreal into an intimate and spacious family home...

While the restored front facade respects the architectural language of the original duplex, the work on connecting the other facades with the exterior is decidedly modern. Creating a living space that emphasizes peace, fulfillment, and light, the project demonstrates qualities that are highly valued in urban environments.

Carefully focused on finding the right balance between a dense layout and providing comfortable living spaces, this house reflects a subtle interplay of contraction and expansion of space. From the double-height kitchen at the heart of the house, it transitions into a cozy living room with lower ceilings, where openings frame the landscape of the backyard.

Staircases are positioned along walls that divide rooms, so they do not take up living space, while at the top, a skylight bathes them in gentle light. Nestled in a new mezzanine structure built on the roof of the residence, the master bedroom, with its spacious and elegant bathroom and two terraces at the level of tree canopies, is a true oasis of privacy.

The project draws strength from its unconventional position. With its side yard, Residence Alma differs from the neighboring house. What it sacrifices in area, it gains in quality of light, connection with the outside world, and privacy.

Surfaces and materials are carefully selected to create a warm dialogue with this raw material, which is simultaneously constant and variable throughout the day; from the light refracting through grooves on kitchen walls to the warmer one animating the texture of wood, from glossy effects dancing on the shaped vaults of the ceiling to diffused light in evaporating waves of curtains. Enriched by this attention to details that favor textures and contrasts, spaces are shaped by small touches and give life to significant and harmonious places.

Embracing the challenges of urban proximity, Residence Alma is a sort of bubble of comfort and gentleness in the heart of the city, embodying the original desire of all architecture: to create safe and pleasant places to live... simply put."