Thoughtful intervention on a modest Plateau-Mont-Royal shoebox in Montreal

Located in Montreal’s Petit Laurier neighbourhood, ShoeBox CHB reinterprets a typical vernacular shoebox house to support contemporary family life

The project introduces a recessed stainless steel addition, using light, proportion, and material restraint to extend the existing structure without altering its modest presence on the street. The original volume and front façade were preserved, maintaining continuity with the surrounding urban fabric. Set back from the street and aligned with the neighboring context, the new upper level is clad in satin-finished stainless steel, selected for its reflective qualities and subdued expression. The addition reads as a quiet intervention—distinct yet complementary to the existing house.

Natural light organizes the interior. A central stair topped by a generous skylight brings daylight deep into the plan, while large openings at the rear connect the main living spaces to the garden and terrace. Despite limited footprint and challenging orientation, the project prioritizes spatial clarity, fluid circulation, and visual continuity.

Interior finishes are restrained and tactile – light wood, polished concrete, and white surfaces – allowing light and everyday life to animate the spaces. Vegetation, both framed and integrated, softens the architecture and reinforces the indoor–outdoor relationship.

ShoeBox CHB proposes an approach to residential expansion defined by discretion, contextual awareness, and durability, demonstrating how modest typologies can be carefully transformed to meet contemporary needs.

ShoeBox CHB
Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal

Architecture and design: ALEXANDRE BERNIER ARCHITECTE
Contractor: Skeene Construction
Photography: Maxime Brouillet

Project type: Renovation and extension of a single-family row house (shoebox)

Gross floor area: 1,715 sq.ft.

Original house construction year: 1900 (estimated)

About ALEXANDRE BERNIER ARCHITECTE

ALEXANDRE BERNIER ARCHITECTE is a design studio based in Montreal whose work explores the intersections between architecture, interior design, furniture, and landscape, seeking a balance between function, materiality, and form.

The studio’s projects are approached with particular attention to materiality, light, temporality, and sensory experience. The studio favors a refined contemporary aesthetic rooted in context and artisanal craftsmanship. Its design process relies on a careful reading of the context and a commitment to creating durable, sensitive, and meaningful objects and spaces.

Located in the Saint-Henri neighborhood, the studio occupies a former shoemaking workshop transformed into a creative workspace. This space reflects an integrated approach, where design and community engagement form a coherent whole.

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