Ottawa River Triplex

This house was designed to accomodate three families, with two generous two-bedroom units in the basement/walk-out floor, and three bedrooms in the one-and-a-half story dwelling above. The traditional forms compliment the architecture of the historic neighbourhood, while contemporary detailing keeps the design clean and simple. In fact, there is no architectural drama here – just a very simple building, with windows and plumbing cores that align, and with no structural gymnastics and a basic rectangular plan – this building – while over 4,000 sf, prices at out the same cost as a custom home of half the size. As an R2000/Novoclimat house, it is designed to consume only 1/5th the energy of a conventional home. Energy modelling shows this to be a home with a carbon-footprint of less than 9 Metric Tons, but as the heating system is geothermal, and since it is in Québec, the electricity supply is largely GHG neutral, and so the actual carbon footprint may be less than one metric ton.

Below are some images of the original house as it appeared in the 1960′s, and as it appears currently. The stone foundation – constructed in 1893 – may be re-used.

Project is in Planning Approval/Design Development – renderings shown are just preliminary and are intended to give a sense of materials, light and volumes only. Construction slated for Spring 2012.