WINNER OF A 2016 CANADIAN ARCHITECT AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
The residential complex is composed of several smaller volumes, articulated with varied setbacks.
Elää is a 41-unit residential complex located at the entrance to Verdun, a predominantly residential area adjacent to downtown Montreal. Instead of occupying the corner lot with a single volume, the project creates a miniature village by fragmenting the building into many volumes. The result is a porous, spatially varied environment.
The courtyard is clad in a luminous white acrylic finish and topped with a canopy of cables and lights; planted walls allow for views of greenery from each unit.
The volumes are articulated through a series of slight setbacks and extrusions, which help to match the project to the scale of the surrounding neighbourhood. Each unit is given both a public and a private façade, and enjoys natural light and ventilation. The exterior perimeter is clad in charred cedar, while by contrast, the interior façades and courtyards are clad with white acrylic. To animate the courtyard spaces, select walls include cables for supporting climbing vines, while a series of suspended lights creates a luminous canopy overhead. The communal courtyard includes multiple access points, interspersed planting beds and vegetated walls, creating a diverse set of outdoor spaces.
Elää aims to achieve LEED platinum certification through the creation of a long-lifespan structure that is easy to maintain. It hopes to encou...