Project description

Nestled at the foot of Mont Saint-Bruno, on Montreal's South Shore, the Montpellier II residence is discreetly set in a forest landscape where nature predominates. Bordered by a dense canopy, the house seems to slide against the mountain, which becomes the backdrop for this new residence, designed as a place of refuge and contemplation.

Designed by the duo Vives St-Laurent and ATA Architecture, the house rises on three levels, including a garden level partially embedded in the natural slope of the land. This unique location allows the project to accurately match the site's unevenness, in deliberate contrast to the more traditional typologies of the neighborhood, mainly from the 1960s.

The main challenge of the mandate: to work with a volumetry that was already defined, the result of a long reflection between the client and the architects. The development emphasizes the fluidity of circulation, the clarity of views and the abundance of natural light. The plan is organized around an interior courtyard, while the rear facade, entirely glazed, opens the living spaces onto the surrounding forest.