Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67 in Montréal is one of the most important works of modern architecture. Designed for Expo 67, Montréal’s record-breaking “world’s fair”, the building was the Israeli-Canadian’s bold and ambitious attempt to reimagine apartment living. Following renovation works by Safdie Architects, the 10th floor of the urban housing project is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and scholarly resource.
Moshe Safdie’s duplex at Habitat has been restored and is open to the public. Image by Safdie Architects
The 13-storey Habitat 67 complex contains 148 homes and in 2009 was awarded heritage status by the Quebec government. Considered one of the most important works of modern architecture, the housing scheme – which was inspired by 2:1 Lego bricks – changed the way we think about domestic living. Safdie’s goal was to reinvent apartment living and tackle suburban sprawl. In a 2014 Ted Talk, he said he wanted to create, “a building which gives the qualities of a house to each unit – Habitat would be all about gardens, contact with nature, streets instead of corridors.”
Habitat 67 housing complex is considered one of the most important works of modern architecture. Image by Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Image
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Habitat 67, efforts have been made over a two-year period to restore Safdie’s personal duplex on the 10th floor to its original condition. Upgrades included a full restoration of the unit’s interior, as well as technical upgrades of all building systems to 21st century standards of sustainability and energy conservation.
It took two years to modernise the duplex. Image by Safdie Architects
The project involved the repair of decades of water damage, in which exterior concrete walls were stripped to allow proper repair, insulation, and waterproofing of the envelope to withstand Canadian winters. Wood parquet floors were restored to their original condition, energy-efficient windows were added and a local shipwright was called in to work on the fibreglass bathroom. Kitchen cabinets and appliances were upgraded and clear polycarbonate railings on the terrace were given a facelift.
The duplex has been donated to the public as a tourist attraction. Image by Safdie Architects
The unit, which offers views of the St Lawrence River and downtown Montréal will be donated to the public realm as a resource for scholarly research and will be open for public tours.
Moshe Safdie designed a set of futuristic cube-like condominiums for Expo ’67 when he was just 23. Image by Safdie Architects
Safdie Architects is also involved with an ongoing comprehensive restoration of the exterior building envelope for the Habitat 67 complex. To read more about the restoration, please visit the project page on the firm’s site.
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