In a promising Southwest neighborhood in Montreal, Canada sits the Holy Cross House, a modern detached home by Thomas Balaban Architect (TBA). The working class neighborhood is full of standard brick and shingled homes. In an effort to create a diverse façade that would emerge with subtlety, the architects chose a monochromatic exterior approach.

The architects explain the primary difficulty of the project was access to natural light. Due to the close proximity to the surrounding lots, daylight penetration was exclusively available through the center of the structure. This being a primary focus of the design, the architects created a livable two-story home that addressed that issue while simultaneously addressing privacy as a major focus as well. TBA describes, “By carving out the house’s volume, the light available at the center of the lot is drawn down into the heart of the house and additional private outdoor spaces are provided for in each room.”



With the focus on light and subtle modernity, the architects chose a neutral cladding material. The standing seam aluminum exterior, with painted concrete accents, creates a unique juxtaposition to the Ipé wood decking used on the terraces.



The interior mimics the exterior’s approach of minimalism by utilizing white walls and concrete flooring that is contrasted by elements of warm wood throughout. The staggered courtyard serves as a funnel, moving the natural light down to the lowest level of the home. Its design was intentional in many ways to offer a collective space for the family as it can be accessed through each room. Massive windows create a modern feel for the design but also take advantage of passive solar energy.



TBA further explains, “…stacked staircases combined with a north-facing opening at the top provide a cooling chimney effect inside the house…maximizing south facing glazing for direct solar gain in winter, and limits glazing on the north façade.”



The Holy Cross House stands out. Its contemporary design is a glimpse into the neighborhood’s future. It is a direct indication of the influence of modern residential design. What good design does is reminds us that architecture at its very core can better our every day lives.

Photography © Adrien Williams

DISCLAIMER: The following project does not feature Alucobond® aluminum composite material (ACM). The “Industry (Architecture)” section of our blog focuses on extraordinary architectural works from around the world. While this project does not feature our ACM, we have included comparable samples to what was used in the project above.