Located in the Golden Square Mile of Montreal, the prominent Port-Royal apartment building rises high above the city. The apartment renovation project was on the 30th floor, measuring 3580 sqft, with unobstructed views of the mountain. The rules and functional challenges of renovating in this building were complicated. The monumental building lobby proved to be an important study for conceptualizing the apartment renovation. The brief was to introduce a contemporary language of design while remaining faithful to the character of the building.
The existing layout was completely overhauled. The hallmark of the apartment is three horizontal windows with panoramic views of Mont-Royal. Freeing these windows from obstruction was a necessary point of departure. An axial wall separates the apartment in two and organizes the served and servant spaces. The presence of the wall is accentuated by the transition in floor materials. The wall is an object in space that invites curiosity.
The building’s mass walls are bold features of the main hall, a nod to their presence in the lobby, but here finished in lime plaster. The mass walls have rational qualities of order and symmetry which are repeated throughout. For instance, the wood floors are installed with square joints, bringing calm to such a vast space.
Where this unit departs from the lobby is in the concept of misalignment, such as the transition of floor materials at the axial wall and subtle transitions of materials in the servant spaces. While the overall form remains sympathetic to the order of the building, these subtle differences become apparent to the keen eye.
A limited palette of matte finishes and textured materials is applied throughout. The plaster walls paired with rough-sawn walnut cabinets feature two noble materials expressed in a contemporary way. The ceramic tiles in the master bathroom are hand-made from Japan. The bedroom doors are custom back-painted glass. The exits for air ventilation are concealed in the reveal detail at the ceiling of the axial wall. The tracks of magnetic lighting allow for flexibility and creativity in lighting design.
