The Grand Trunk by MARK + VIVI

MARK + VIVI is an interdisciplinary design-build studio based in Montreal, Canada and the two partners have built their own home with studio in a 19th century row house in the Montreal suburb of Pointe-Saint-Charles. An all-round sustainable project.



A lovely 1880 row house in Pointe-Saint-Charles, Montreal, has been renovated and revived to meet the needs of Mark Fekete and Viviana de Loera, owners of the interdisciplinary studio MARK + VIVI. Basically, the two young designers have built their business card!





Starting from the premise that renewing a house - at least in Montreal - costs a lot less than building a new one, and that it is also the most eco-friendly solution because all the foundations and shell are already there, Mark + Vivi worked to adapt the historical building to meet contemporary needs, and more importantly to meet energy saving criteria. 



So they opened up a skylight on the second floor above the stairwell, to bring in natural light and used rockwool to insulate the compact construction with a living surface of just over 100 square metres. In fact, “The Grand Trunk” consumes 20% less energy than a normal home of the same size.





They added steel columns and beams to support the original timber framework, but have left them all exposed to create a dialogue between old and new. 
The construction waste - demolished framing and floor boards - was repurposed into furniture and finishes for the home, such as the bathroom cabinets and countertops, with local plywood used for other cabinetry. A choice that gives the Mark + Vivi house its own special touch thanks to the blend of traditional industrial materials with clever, efficient design and repurposing. 





In the words of the designers: "We wanted to create a home that captured the essence and character of a classical 19th century Canadian row-house infused with contemporary touches of playfulness and style." And we can say that they have done exactly that!

Christiane Bürklein

Project: MARK + VIVI
markvivi.com/
Location: Montréal, Canada
Year: 2015 
Photography: Adrien Williams
Thanks to v2com