Choubox

The surprising conversion of a Rosemont shoebox into a luminous triplex.

Confronted with regulations intended to preserve the “shoeboxes” of the Rosemont district, the new developers were looking to densify their property. By enlarging the building in height and depth, the architects succeeded in converting it into a triplex, housing a 1500 sq. ft. apartment on the ground floor and two adjacent 1000 sq. ft. apartments with a mezzanine on the first floor.

The intervention preserves the original features of the façade and its symmetrical composition is repeated on the upper floor. The party walls and a large part of the foundations have been preserved and repaired. The addition in the backyard makes it possible to take advantage of a beautiful courtyard. A new floor and its mezzanine provides natural light and offers dynamic views onto the alley.

With its sober treatment and elegant masonry, the building reveals a clear interpretation of two things: the restored “shoebox” typical of the fifties and its extension, which reflect the current effervescence of the neighborhood. This project of gentle densification welcomes new families, reviving the ideals of ownership that the “shoebox” once meant.