Design practice MYTO design d'espaces vivants was tasked with revamping a family home with a north-south orientation in one of the Island of Montreal’s most exclusive municipalities.
Designer Martine Brisson’s priority was to tackle wasted space from the convoluted and dated layout with overly small rooms connected by narrow hallways and a central zone with inadequate natural light.
The house’s structural soundness was protected in the plan to tear out the internal walls by using long steel crossbeams and two full-height vertical modules.
Once the building had been transformed into an empty shell, the layout was established based on the position of the entrance, which leads directly into the living room, without a clearly delineated vestibule.
At the same time, major work was done on the windows, with the addition of new openings, particularly in the south wing, and the expansion of existing windows.
As a result of removing the walls, the living spaces merged so natural light can flood the ground floor.
The impression of space was strengthened by the uniformity of surface treatments: a monochrome black/white/grey palette, white knotless oak for the hardwood floors, and thermoformed espresso oak for shelves and cabinets.
In the kitchen, grey veined Calacatta marble was used to cover the island and its waste chute, work surfaces and cabinet corners.
Directly ahead of the food preparation area, but defined by a wide traffic area, is a floor-to-ceiling wall unit.
Primarily a load-bearing element, it performs numerous additional functions. On the dining room side, it structures the stairs leading to the basement and partially screens the open kitchen.
On the other side, it contains a wine cellar, espresso bar, china cabinet and storage for cooking implements.
Meanwhile, in the private spaces of the southern wing the master bedroom and a bathroom share a single space.
Here, a section of wall backing the shower stall plays the structural-support role. It defines the two zones without carving up the volume, while providing the privacy needed for bathroom use. Invisible from the bedroom, the sanitary fixtures are arranged behind in order to keep the lateral walls clear.
The World Interiors News Awards showcase the best international design in both current and future projects. Entries for the 2019 Awards are now open - for further information and to submit your entry please click here.
To see the full list of winners from the 2018 WIN Awards, click here