Who says student life can’t be stylish?
Just north of McGill University’s Milton gates, an urban-renewal project built by Montreal-based architecture firm KANVA is turning heads in time for the return to school.
The female-student residence houses 30 individual rooms, communal living spaces and private rooms that open onto a quiet communal garden. The primary entrance is through a porte-cochère, which the architects designed as a contemporary tribute to Montreal’s traditional method of building a protected passage for horse carriages. It offers an intimate approach to the residence.
Photo-engraved concrete panels tell the story of the site, where a fire in the early 20th century razed a stone house on the property. The panels feature photos from the 1901 Thomas Edison film Montreal Fire Department on Runners and appear dynamic as the sun’s angles accentuate the vertical ribs that form the images.
From the firm’s press release:
The Edison Residence creates an animated architecture by using new technology in a socially engaging way. It calls for participation and reflection by the viewer as he or she contemplates the transformation and evolution of the site, and by extension the city. Most importantly, the Edison residence will be an inspiring living space for students as they broaden their horizons.
Rooms are available for September, 2014.
