Atrium Townhouse

A net stretched across the opening of a three-level atrium forms a dramatic play space within this renovated townhouse in Montreal. The 32-foot central void also integrates a fireplace and a grand bookcase with a rolling ladder to draw the eye upwards, altogether forming a focal point at the centre of the contemporary home.

‍

Overhauled for a family, the building was reorganised to relocate the kitchen from the front to the rear, where it spans from the atrium to a window wall that faces the newly designed garden. In this location, it enjoys much more space and natural light while improving the flow of the home. At the front instead is a living room, partitioned by a well-proportioned millwork “cube” that directs movement around the ground floor. This block contains a powder room on one side and a coat closet on the other, as well as two pocket doors that can be used to close off the lounge for peace and quiet.

‍

Warming the starkly white and concrete interior are vertical-grain Douglas fir slats, which extend up the staircase from the ground to second floor—providing partially obscured sightlines through the home and eliminating the need for guardrails. The slats also screen two sides of the atrium on the first floor, while a break in the partitions features a neatly detailed glass bannister for uninterrupted views up and down. The primary suite is also located on the first level, with the bedroom facing the street and bathroom overlooking the atrium through a small window. On the other side of the void is a den area that has both atrium and garden aspects.

‍

The second floor is reserved for the kids, whose bedrooms are positioned at either end of the house while their shared play area sits in between. Riggers from Cirque du Soleil provided and installed the trapeze net over the void, which negates the need for guardrails and opens the floor plan to unimpeded views to and from the third floor. A full-width skylight overhead floods this space and those below with natural light.

‍

In the garden, a covered seating area adjacent to the kitchen serves to mediate the interior living spaces and the exterior. Carefully placed hornbeams create an aerial hedge, offering privacy from adjacent buildings while focusing attention towards the rear of the garden. At the garden's terminus, views are borrowed from a mature grove of hemlocks and spruce trees, enhancing the lushness of this small city oasis.

‍

Team:

Andrew Curtis  Partner, MRAIC, AIA, OAQ, LEED BD+C

‍

Photography © Adrien Williams, Marc Cramer