Archinect - News2024-12-03T13:27:14-05:00https://archinect.com/news/article/150387135/atelier-l-abri-completes-passive-house-retrofit-of-1970s-garage-in-rural-quebec
Atelier L’Abri completes Passive House retrofit of 1970s garage in rural Quebec Niall Patrick Walsh2023-10-19T12:43:00-04:00>2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/24/244fcc0b83c1ad80ede731bdcb85f8e5.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Montreal-based <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/150387245/atelier-l-abri" target="_blank">Atelier L’Abri</a> has completed a Passive House <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/212775/retrofitting" target="_blank">retrofit</a> in the southern <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/3086/quebec" target="_blank">Quebec</a> village of Frelighsburg, Canada. Named Maison Melba, the project saw a former 1970s car garage transformed into a living space that is also open to the community for collaborative projects.</p>
<figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/57/57866dd3c87ee9724cda7d185a1ca633.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/57/57866dd3c87ee9724cda7d185a1ca633.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Alex Lesage</figcaption></figure><figure><figure><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/fa/fa31a2ef353f845bd3ee717c6d0a5cae.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/fa/fa31a2ef353f845bd3ee717c6d0a5cae.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=514"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Alex Lesage</figcaption></figure></figure><p>The project brief and program were inspired by the fertile ecosystem of Frelighsburg, resulting in a scheme where, as Atelier L’Abri puts it, “beauty is in harmony with performance.” Outside, an Écomestible-designed <a href="https://archinect.com/news/category/81/landscape" target="_blank">landscape</a> holds a greenhouse and a garden dedicated to small-scale vegetable production, while inside, the main building houses a residence, work studio, workshop, and a culinary production and meeting space.</p>
<figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e5/e544011d8a413bf59ba9fad8be2e7f5e.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e5/e544011d8a413bf59ba9fad8be2e7f5e.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Alex Lesage</figcaption></figure><figure><figure><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/99/99d28daf786d51a2141bd6b30c21ed8d.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/99/99d28daf786d51a2141bd6b30c21ed8d.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=514"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Alex Lesage</figcaption></figure></figure><p>The exterior of the building is defined by a “noble and timeless look that blends with the countryside.” A steel roof is paired with wood plank cladding that gradually shifts from brown to g...</p>