A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal

In the city's Villeray neighborhood, a cramped structure is recast as an open work-play space for a young family.
Text by

In 2013, La SHED Architecture of Montreal tackled an extensive renovation of a 2,700-square-foot duplex in the city’s Villeray neighborhood for a couple with two young children, ages seven and four. The couple, both of whom work in the movie industry, were looking for a bright, versatile space that would be suitable both as a home office and as a place to raise their children.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 1 of 15 -

The open-plan kitchen and living room in the de Gaspé House in Montreal's Villeray neighborhood borrows natural light from a double-height space over the seating area.

A series of previous renovations had stripped the building of its period charm, giving the architects a blank slate to recast it as a contemporary dwelling. They preserved the building’s overall shape and footprint, but removed a section of the second floor to create a patio—an intervention that not only carved out additional outdoor space, but also allowed more natural light to penetrate the building’s core.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 2 of 15 -

The rear of the house at it appeared from the alley before the renovation.

The heart of the home is the open-plan kitchen and living room. The kitchen was recast in white lacquer and ash veneer, with stainless-steel countertops. The double-height living room borrows light from an office and mezzanine hallway upstairs. An orange-lacquer staircase, partially hidden behind a set of ash slats that support steel bookshelves, lends an arresting color accent.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 3 of 15 -

The architects cut away a section of the second floor to make room for a patio. The exterior has been clad in corrugated galvanized steel and cedar planks.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 4 of 15 -

The architects arranged the "service areas" of the home—closets, a bathroom, storage space, and most of the kitchen appliances—in a block near the entrance, a move that allows for clear views across the open-plan kitchen and living areas.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 5 of 15 -

The kitchen as it appeared before the renovation.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 6 of 15 -

The twin kitchen islands are oriented parallel to the living room. The cabinet fronts are finished in white lacquer, with stainless-steel counters atop ash veneer.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 7 of 15 -

The stairs are partically hidden behind a slatted ash screen that supports steel bookshelves.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 8 of 15 -

The stairs are coated in orange lacquer.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 9 of 15 -

Upstairs, an open hallway connects offers access to the bedrooms, bathrooms, and an office.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 10 of 15 -

In the office, the ash floor gives way to slats that turn skyward at a 90-degree angle to form the balustrade.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 11 of 15 -

The master bathroom before the renovation.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 12 of 15 -

In the renovated bathroom, a freestanding bathtub sits beneath a skylight that runs the width of the room. A large mirror hangs above the vanity, which is outfitted with a butcher-block countertop. Black mosaic tiles were used on the floor.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 13 of 15 -

By the time the homeowners embarked on the renovation, the exterior had been stripped of much of its period charm.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 14 of 15 -

The architects chose dark-painted clay bricks for the facade, reasoning that it would complement the surrounding buildings. The windows were enlarged and oriented vertically.

A Transformative Duplex Renovation in Montreal - Photo 15 of 15 -

On the terrace, an eastern-cedar deck serves as a mid-city oasis.

William Lamb
Will Lamb is a writer and editor based in Jersey City, New Jersey. He served as a senior editor at Dwell from 2013 to 2015.

Published

Last Updated

Get the Renovations Newsletter

From warehouse conversions to rehabbed midcentury gems, to expert advice and budget breakdowns, the renovation newsletter serves up the inspiration you need to tackle your next project.