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![The Grand Trunk by MARK + VIVI The Grand Trunk by MARK + VIVI](https://www.floornature.com/media/photos/38/11144/10_the-grand-trunk-by-mark-vivi_home_sez.jpg)
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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