Montreal’s Thomas Balaban Architecte (TBA) has returned to a core area of its practice with a new private residence for an art-collecting Quebecois family called the Berri House. 

Challenged to “squeeze as much home as possible” out of a 112-year-old 130-square-meter (1,400-square-foot) carriage house located in the city’s Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood, the small multidisciplinary studio responded with a well-anchored design that effectively balances limited space with the mandated local architectural character. 

The solution involved a back-to-basics reset that left only the outline of the existing structure intact. TBA thus created a compact structure connected from top to bottom by a transparent sculptural wireframe staircase meant to allow maximal space and increase circulation at the ground level. A floating extension occupies the second floor, with a third and final story containing everything from a kitchen to coffee station and office space required to support and separate the residential spaces from the hum of everyday activity.  

Per the architects: “Stripped down to the original shell of the coach house, the new interiors seek to celebrate the natural qualities of the utilitarian structure and the beauty of everyday construction. Raw materials, rich textures, and minimal detailing play off softer modern furnishings and the family’s expansive collection of art. Plywood plays the role of wallpaper (think William Morris meets Home Depot), and steel structure imitates wood joinery, giving the project an intemporal quality where mid-century modern meets construction site in a stripped-down Victorian shell.”

Outside, the house’s setback and elevated volume combine with the protection offered by the new extension to create a new sheltered garden area that provides additional breathing room for the family in addition to preserving the root structure of two mature maple trees which dominate the streetscape. 

The exterior is clad in galvanized steel panels that reflect light into the garden and contrast against the masonry-rich makeup of the surrounding neighborhood. 

In all, this is a superlative effort that showcases the ability of a small and research-oriented practice to work within tight constraints to create an intimate residential space that confers both connection and privacy. TBA worked with structural engineers Lateral to complete the project.

Additional images can be viewed below.