Habitat '67
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Habitat '67 is a striking housing complex located on the Quai Marc-Drouin on the Saint Lawrence River at Montreal. It was designed by architect Moshe Safdie based on his masters thesis at McGill University.
Habitat_67_in_winter.jpg
It was designed to integrate the variety and diversity of scattered private home with the economics and density of a modern apartment building. Modular, interlocking concrete forms define the space. The complex was built as part of Expo '67. 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. It also failed in its goal of being affordable as the building is today quite elite. It is now a privately owned condo 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.
External links and references
- Habitat '67 (http://www.habitat67.com/) Habitat 67 web site
- Moshe Safdie (http://www.msafdie.com/) Moshe Safdie and Associates web site
- Mc Gill (http://cac.mcgill.ca/safdie/habitat/) McGill Habitat 67 web page
- Habitat '67 (http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Habitat_67.html) Great Buildings Online