Quote:
Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim
The Habitat is now a prestigious housing complex, effectively the opposite of its original purpose.
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That's because it's got some kind of original and not so common brutalist design. It might also feature some of what they call 'terrasses' in Fr, that's some outdoor space that units may be provided with above below apartments.
People like to have some little outdoor feel to their flats. Even a tiny balcony may make some difference, no matter how bad or good it looks to a facade.
That's the concept they used for 56 Leonard Street in Manhattan. The luxury residential high-rise features actual stacked terraces for outdoor views over the city. Very smart design by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron.
In this case of Habitat 67 in Montreal, they need to be careful about concrete maintenance to the facade. Concrete has to remain clean and good quality enough.
The massing of the project kinda looks like what they would sometimes do in today's old Middle-East to me. I think you could see some more recent things similar in style but more random in Israel or neighboring Arab countries.
It's true that the design of Habitat 67 is more original, neater and rather unique.
You would find a couple of original and hardcore brutalist things from the same era, growing somewhat valuable in Ivry-sur-Seine too, that's an inner suburb of Southeast Paris close to my home.
https://www.reddit.com/r/evilbuildin...ely_terrified/
That was crazy, built 1971, I think; still does look creepy today. But it's growing in our local hearts anyway, because it's historic and quirky nowadays.
And this, that was refurbished some years ago, with concrete looking brand new for a whole new district (Ivry Confluence) being developed all around.
https://www.pss-archi.eu/immeubles/FR-94041-11132.html
I don't think the latter has ever meant to be actually affordable like any social housing. It was built for some EDF employees in 1967 and is registered to the national historic heritage because it was probably somewhat early in this style. Units in there must be comfy today. They've also got an overground parking garage for their cars, that doesn't look good on the other hand.