Habitat 67

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Habitat 67 from the port
Habitat 67 from the port

Habitat 67 is a housing complex and landmark located on the Marc-Drouin Quay on the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its design was created by architect Moshe Safdie based on his master's thesis at McGill University and built as part of Expo 67.

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[edit] History

Expo 67 was nicknamed "Man and his World", taken from Antoine de Saint Exupéry's memoir Terre des hommes, (literally "Land of Men", translated as Wind, Sand and Stars. Housing was one of the main themes of Expo 67. Habitat 67 then became a thematic pavilion visited by thousands of visitors who came from around the world. During Expo 67 it was also the temporary residence of the many dignitaries coming to Montreal.

It was designed to integrate the variety and diversity of scattered private homes with the economics and density of a modern apartment building. Modular, interlocking concrete forms define the space. The project was designed to create affordable housing with close but private quarters, each equipped with a garden. The complex was originally meant to be vastly larger. Ironically, the building's units are now quite expensive rather than "affordable" due to its architectural cachet. It is now a privately owned condominium complex since it was purchased by its tenants in 1985.

Safdie hoped that his vision of interlocking modules would become widespread. However Safdie's attempts to build similar structures elsewhere in the world all failed to be funded.

In Montreal winter

At sunset

[edit] Location

The complex is located at 2600, Pierre Dupuy Avenue (45°30′00″N 73°32′37″W / 45.5, -73.54361Coordinates: 45°30′00″N 73°32′37″W / 45.5, -73.54361).


[edit] Adjacent surf spot

[edit] See also

Red brick apartment block in Limehouse, East London, on the north bank of the Thames.
Red brick apartment block in Limehouse, East London, on the north bank of the Thames.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Surf's Up from the Montreal Mirror
  2. ^ Habitat 67 Wave, from www.2imagine.net

[edit] External links