Natalie Dionne Architecture

BLACK BOX II

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

BLACK BOX II

Natalie Dionne Architecture

LOCATION
Montreal, Canada

CATEGORY
Houses, Extension

AREA
2130 ft²

MANUFACTURERS
Swisspearl, Montréal-les-Bains, Sistemalux

YEAR
2017

CONTRACTOR
Pierre Aubin

DESIGN TEAM
Natalie Dionne, Ariane Côté-Bélisle, Martin Laneuville, Corinne Deleers

ENGINEER
Aldrin Salpunariu

LEAD ARCHITECT
Natalie Dionne

CABINET MAKER
Pixel&scie

Text description provided by architect.

BLACK BOX II is the latest in a series of tiny additions impacting existing architecture in a big way.

Conceived as a jewelry box, large openings blur the interior/exterior boundary, revealing its treasure of fine cabinetmaking work within through the playful use of complementary surface materials.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

The BLACK BOX II addition is covered with large plates of iridescent, black fiber cement board, with a perforated motif for the loggia, finely assembled with matching rivets.

In contrast, blond wood and light porcelain and ceramics, illuminate the interior. When large windows fold open to incorporate the garden into the home, interior and exterior materials interact to connect spaces.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

Inside, oak wood paneling covers the walls and ceiling of the shed, while a lattice of western red cedar lines the exterior alcove.

The slate slabs of the terrace adjoin the concrete-like porcelain floor of the kitchen. Heritage of the past, the original oak wood floor of the dining room, preserved and restored, set the tone.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

The kitchen island, made of solid oak, stands monumentally in the center and serves as an altar to daily rituals.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

At the perimeter stands, more soberly, white or black furniture and cabinetry.

This project is a plea for constructive art, recognizing the complicity between the architect, the builders, and the owners, all actively involved in the search for quality, both technical and aesthetic.

The art of architecture manifests itself here in all its dimensions.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

This semi-detached townhouse, made of red clay brick, is typical of Westmount and the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough of Montreal.

Through the reconfiguration of outdated internal divisions and the grafting of two black volumes in juxtaposition, the pre-existing architecture is enhanced and transformed to better reflect the modern lifestyle and aspirations of its inhabitants.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau

We are always striving to strike the right balance between new and old in order to create a coherent whole, preserving the authenticity of the existing details while affirming the contemporaneity of our interventions.

BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau
BLACK BOX II
© Raphaël Thibodeau


BLACK BOX II
Ground Floor Plan
BLACK BOX II
Upper Floor Plan


BLACK BOX II
Elevation

Natalie Dionne Architecture
T +1 514 5251265
Natalie Dionne Architecture
4238 Rue D'Iberville, Montréal, QC H2H 2L6, Canada