NORM by Alain Carle Architecte is a renovation and extension of an existing single-family residence that breaks with the generic notion of a suburban house, which is often built without real consideration toward its context.
The house is located in the city of Baie-D’Urfe, on the southwestern end of the island of Montreal, Canada. Originally agricultural in nature, the town emerged as a more traditional suburb after the Second World War.
The main street layout of the neighbourhood is organized as an orthogonal grid, while secondary arteries follow the irregular topography of the area. The winding nature of the streets means that even with the existing dense and mature vegetation that characterizes the neighbourhood, multiple facades of the residences are visible from many parts of the road. This unique condition thus presents an opportunity to challenge the typical North American suburb where strictly orthogonal street grids result in a dominant single façade.
The existing single-family residence on the gently sloping south-facing site left the sunniest part of the land to the garage whil living rooms were oriented to the north. The new configuration creates a more explicit relationship to the landscape that is specific and responsive to the nature of the site.
Different architectural volumes open to specific landscape components on the site with new glazed openings now oriented to specific trees or other natural areas or the sky. Redirecting views away from manufactured suburban neighbourhood gives the house a sense of privacy and solitude despite the nearby buildings.
The homogeneity of interior finishes refers to the abstract and multi-dimensional nature of the architectural volumes perceived from the exterior. The deliberate elimination of materiality met the client’s desire for a neutral backdrop for their colourful lives.
The uniform materiality between interior and exterior further results in a contemplative feeling with subtle variations of nature, and season against a simplified backdrop and simplified forms.
