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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Landsdowne House in Quebec, Canada by Affleck de la Riva architectsJuly 17th, 2014 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Affleck de la Riva architects Located in Westmount, a privileged inner-city suburb of Montreal, Lansdowne Avenue is remarkable for both its heritage architecture and its particular topography. The street negotiates a series of steep inclines and plateaus at the base of Westmount Mountain.  Image Courtesy © Marc Cramer
 Image Courtesy © Marc Cramer As a semi-detached house on a hill side, the project is an essay in asymmetry. Westmount’s past as an Anglo-Saxon enclave within French Canada saw the local flowering of such historic styles as Arts and Crafts and Neo-Gothic. Both these styles used asymmetry and informality to distinguish themselves from the more rigid forms of French and Italian classicism. These traditions of informality are reinterpreted in Lansdowne House to celebrate the contrast between its detached and connected sides and its unique hill-side position.  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley Clad in the same black slate found in the neighbourhood’s historic homes, a corner bay-window on the street and a two-storey bay-window at the back of the house punctuate informally arranged planes of red brick. The two storey space behind the back bay-window, an open dining – living area, is the center of family life, shifting the focus of activities from the street to the rear of the house and the garden.  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley Introduction Founded in 1995 by Gavin Affleck and Richard de la Riva and based in Montreal, Canada, Affleck de la Riva Architects believe that quality environmental design is an agent of social change and a key element in fostering citizenship, social equity, and healthy lifestyles. The firm provides services for the design and construction of institutional, commercial and residential projects and has also developed specific expertise in urban design and the restoration of historic structures.  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley For more than twenty years, through a wide range and scale of projects including research, competitions, and built work, Affleck de la Riva has been exploring the potential of history and landscape to generate contemporary architecture. An interest in the craft-based traditions of noble materials has led to a number of building restoration commissions, including several important historic monuments. One cannot build contemporary architecture without having assimilating the lessons of the past.  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley The quality of Affleck de la Riva’s work has been recognized by numerous international publications (France, England, United States, Spain, China, Romania, South Korea, Turkey, etc.) and invitations to lecture in Europe and across North America. The firm is the recipient of more than a dozen professional distinctions including first prize awards in three open architectural competitions, a Governor General of Canada Award, two Awards of Excellence from the Order of Architects of Quebec, and an Award of Excellence from the Canadian Architect magazine. Gavin Affleck and Richard de la Riva are active members of Canada’s architectural community. They have taught at schools of architecture across the country and contributed to numerous committees and organisations.  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley  Image Courtesy © Drew Hadley  Image Courtesy © Affleck de la Riva architects  Image Courtesy © Affleck de la Riva architects  Image Courtesy © Affleck de la Riva architects
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