Sunlight and brickwork

This is another minimal modern brick project that I came across yesterday hidden in the streets of Montréal north.  I am very impressed with how minimal the architecture is, how it fits into the context because of the material (brick) and because it is the same size as adjacent houses. At first glance it appears a bit stark, however, upon closer investigation there is carefully integrated brick bondwork that is completely activated by sunlight.  I happened to pass by early in the morning when it was getting sun, but it is cast in shadow 90% of the day, which is very different (last image showing the context). If the building were on the other side of the street it would be much more dynamic with the brickwork casting moving shadows all day.  I am working towards achieving this in my own work, so it is very inspiring.  It is important to understand the location and movement of daylight to really activate this type of brickwork.

Residential: 3 Stories, Typical Montreal Canada Walk-up

Montreal walk-ups developed out of a city requirement to have a certain setback from the sidewalk. When the city began booming during the late 1800s new housing began to be erected for workers. Other industrial cities (such as London) had problems with daylight entering the street because many streets were very narrow.  Therefore, it was decided that a certain setback from the street would be required to ensure that trees could be planted in front of the housing.  For developers, this meant a setback of unusable/unbuildable space that would infringe on their profits, so entry stairways were placed on the exterior of buildings to find some use for the 'setback' area where they could not build, and thus the stairways and three storey walk-up architecture of Montreal was born.

These are also called 'triplex' or 'plex' architecture because there are duplex, triplex, sixplex, etc. depending on the configuration.

Before the 1940s the walls are built with 'bois sur bois' construction method where large pieces of wood are set on edge between columns with 'channels' cut out to receive the wood pieces. Non-structural brick facing was used to protect the wood structure from fire by building code, consequently most of Montreal's residential architecture is brick construction, even today these laws still exist although the wood framing methods below the brick have changed.

Typical Triplex Layout

Street Block Layout:

Residential: 7 stories - 21 Scollard Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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INFORMATION

Type - Mid-Rise

Designation - Condominium

Status - Complete

Floors - 7

Height - 25.0m (82.0f)

Units - 99

Architect - Architects Alliance

Developer - Great Gulf Homes

Landscape Architect - Janet Rosenberg and Associates Landscape Architects

Building Record History

2005 - Complete

2004-07-24 - Construction

Montreal Residence, Thomas Balaban Architects, 2009

Architect's Website: www.t--b--a.com
This appears to be a double wythe english cross constructed wall. I will post a wall construction detail if I can get my hands on one.

Solar Powered Triplex Condo - Abondance Le Soleil, Ecocite developments, Montreal Canada, 2010

Developer's Website: www.ecocite.ca/abondance/lesoleil.html
Photo Source & construction blog about the project: http:www2.actualite.com/mainson-verte/
More information: http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/su/eqho/abso/

[Thermal Mass] Oven Made of Recycled Brick - Montreal, Canada

Mason: http://www.pyromasse.ca
Architect: http://www.maryseleduc.com

From the pyromasse website:
Custom designed heater-cookstove combination, with Upper chamber bake oven, woodbox, heated bench and double width wall rising through all three floors of the house.

The system has a tripple flue chimney, an individual flue for both heater and cookstove, and a flue to serve an auxiliery RWA in the basment.

The project contains 8,000 burnt clay brick, recycled from the Outeramont district of Montreal.

Masonry Kachelofens - Jessica Steinhäuser

Photos and information provided by Jessica Steinhäuser: http://www.stonehousepottery.com/kachelofen.html

Kachelofens are traditional heating devices used in many moderate to cold climate European countries.

They exploit the principles of thermal mass and extreme wood burning efficiency to provide even consistent heat throughout the day or night.

- A Kachelofen needs only 3 to 4 split logs to heat for 8 to 24 hours
- Once the 3 to 4 split logs have burned completely, and there is only embers left, you lock it air tight.
- Hot gases travel slowly through the shafts heating up the mass which then radiate slowly through the home.
- No soot or creosote build up (like traditional chimneys) due to complete combustion.

A video on how to use/fire a kachelofen:http://vimeo.com/13994035

Kachelofen design is very versatile and can include cooking surfaces, benches, through-wall configurations, etc:

Redpath Factory Lofts - Montreal

This project includes the adaptive re-use of the redpath sugar factory. See previous post for map of location and streetview across the Lachine canal.
Photo circa 1897.

Photo circa 2000.

Photo circa 2010.

Photo (circa 2006) showing various additions to the right, now rennovated into living units.

Photo circa 2006.




Image Sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redpath_sugar/sets/72157623084595987/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31335717@N04/2935520758/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtl_e_man/465678249/

Small Brick Structure - Lachine Canal - Montreal

This small building holds the equipment needed to operate the adjacent canal water lock. (Also note the adaptive re-use of the factory in the background with an adjacent modern addition).





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Small Brick Building, St.John's, Newfoundland, Canada

From The Back Side: