Soft densification in Rosemont | The Press

Even if land is scarce and expensive, making the city denser does not always mean building tall condominium towers. In Rosemont, the firm L. McComber has found a way to shelter four families… in an old backyard. A bold achievement, which had its share of challenges.

Simon Chabot
The Press

The neighbor’s huge courtyard, with its mature trees, shows what used to be where the two identical duplexes of the Les Replicas project stand today, designed in particular by architect Olivier Lord, of the L. McComber firm. The dwellings were in fact built on part of an old crossing lot, which stretched from Avenue Jeanne-D’Arc to Avenue Charlemagne, very close to the Botanical Garden.

Right in the heart of the city, there are still lots here and there ready to accommodate new construction, which represent so many opportunities to densify the city to avoid urban sprawl and protect the last natural environments of Greater Montreal. “We had an order from a promoter to develop this land, explains Olivier Lord. For issues of profitability, but also densification, we aimed for its maximum potential. »

The duplexes thus occupy most of the two new, shallow lots created by subdivision. At the front, the facades are barely set back and the tiny rear courtyards are only accessible through the apartments. In order to count on four floors without clashing in the neighborhood, rich in duplexes, the architects opted for the last level for a more discreet metallic coating than the orange brick used on the first three. “It gave us the space to offer four accommodations large enough for families,” says Olivier Lord.

The bet on quality

If one perceives the effort to maximize the use of the land outside, one does not feel absolutely cramped once inside. On the contrary. Abundant light, unobstructed view, high ceilings, terrace, balcony and multipurpose rooms… Josianne Pelletier still pinches herself living in an apartment of nearly 1,900 sq.^⁠2 on the top two floors of one of the duplexes, with her spouse and their son. “We can’t believe we found this property! “, she says.

Passionate about cycling, they have set up a workshop in the small office on the first level, where the kitchen, dining room and living room are combined.

A service block, which houses a laundry room and a small powder room, occupies the center of this floor. Covered with oak panels, this volume divides the common spaces without hindering the circulation between them.

The plumbing it houses also serves the family bathroom located on the floor above. The architects used the same process in all the dwellings. “We save money with this kind of tricks, which allows us to opt for higher quality materials in the bathrooms”, explains Olivier Lord.

The attention to detail in the design of the premises enchants the owner. A sliding door at the top of the stairs leading to the three upstairs bedrooms thus cuts off, if necessary, the noise that comes from the living rooms downstairs. “We feel the touch of the architects everywhere, we really appreciate it,” says Josianne Pelletier.

One stress at a time

Densifying the city with quality projects to attract new families to well-established neighborhoods is no small feat, says architect Laurent McComber, founder of the firm that bears his name.

The denser the city, the more there are challenges of intimacy with neighbors (vis-à-vis), of interesting outdoor spaces, of acoustics, he lists. Care must also be taken not to damage the foundations of existing old buildings during the work. “It’s much more difficult than building bungalows as we’ve been doing for 50 years,” says Laurent McComber. It takes more creativity. »

Integration projects in a built environment also face specific regulatory constraints. The deadlines for obtaining a permit are unpredictable and can sometimes exceed 12 months, depending on decisions made by the planning advisory committees of each borough. “It’s been worse since the pandemic, assures Laurent McComber. The system has become so complex, difficult to master… More competent professionals should be hired. »

If nothing changes, projects will be abandoned, adds the architect. “Profitability is at stake,” he says. Already, with rising interest rates, there are small developers selling at a loss. Laurent McComber nevertheless welcomes the adoption of certain incentive measures by the municipal authorities, including one that rewards the construction of housing units with at least three bedrooms by reducing certain costs for developers.

For a happier city

Despite the constraints, the densification on a human scale of the city, with projects like The replicas, is worth it, believes Laurent McComber. It energizes a district, already very much alive or not, more than projects that multiply small apartments in huge buildings would do.

“It does not make for beautiful living environments. Tall towers also create extremely unpleasant wind problems,” he adds.

“Living in a tower with an elevator takes us away from the city and its abundance,” continues the architect. When you just have to go down a few levels, like in European cities or even in many neighborhoods of Montreal, to go to the florist or to a small shop, you participate in public life, you contribute to a happy life in the city. Doing Griffitown again in Montreal, Laval or on the South Shore is sad to die for. »

One thing is certain, if the neighbors of the Les Replicas project, built in the midst of a pandemic, are thinking of selling part of their land, the architects of L. McComber are quite willing to repeat the experience. “The plans are already made,” laughs Olivier Lord.