155 Grande Allée
The 155 Grande Allée project results in the establishment of a high-end residential complex on a prestigious and very busy thoroughfare in Quebec City, where the parking lot and swimming pool of the Montmorency residential building, erected in the 1960s use to be.
The new building, offering, among other things, 149 accommodation units, a shop on the ground floor, reception areas with kitchen and an indoor swimming pool with a connecting terrace, consists of two parts: a three level base and the upper floors. On the side, a 4-storey building completes the townhouse project and is similar to the neighboring houses.
The architecture of the project offers a particular and specific interaction with the neighboring buildings because of the pre-existing urban context being dense on Grande Allée. Thanks to its materiality composed of glass and an aluminum coating, the building feels light.
The use of certain cantilevered volumes and various scales is intended to represent the oriel windows seen on neighboring buildings, sometimes centenarians, like the adjoining Maison Louis St-Laurent, dating from 1912 and classified as a heritage building. By integrating a landscaped alley and through the expression of the basilaire and the recess of the upper floors facade, the old and the new cohabit harmoniously. The emblematic Saint-Marc-des-Carrières gray stone masonry base, is similar in height to those of the neighboring Victorian houses and faces the Grande Allée. The composition of its facades is classic, the dimensions and its openings punctuation are regular, ensuring consistency with its context.
Wishing to create a connection between the complexes belonging to the same client, an interior walkway connects the old building and to the new building’s reception. The integration constraints of the project give it an atypical form. Thus, the different configuration of the floors on each one of them has led to a variation in the typology of the appartments.
An interior design inspired by the 60's
The adjacent building, the Montmorency, built during the 1960s, was the spark plug for the interior design concept of the new residential complex. The design team wanted to highlight th this particular decade with a dark color palette and materials such as terrazzo and marble. Right from the entrance hall, inspired by the looks of boutique hotels, the curved concierge desk evokes certain sixties trends and sought-after inspiration. Behind, a wall of black panels actually hides storage for receiving parcels.
The common areas of 155 Grande Allée on the ground floor are composed of a modular living room with sliding glass panels, a dining room and a kitchen. A swimming pool is also located on the 9th floor. The retro inspiration continues in these places through the use of terrazzo, concrete, blond white oak wood on a background of dark colors, and a carpet that is a nod to the era.
The project consists of 149 housing units available for rental. Of varying sizes and layouts, they are designed like hotel suites. White was chosen for all the furniture, including the kitchen, and a wood vinyl floor covers the floor. Everything is bright thanks to abundant windows, punctuated by black hardware that brings a chic touch.
