Habitat 67 - Expo Montreal 1967
Since man left the cave, he has known several forms of shelter: the hut, the tent of animal skins, the log cabin and the stone house.
From these dwellings, usually clustered near the water, came the village and then the town.
Today, Habitat 67 in the Cité du Havre near the Habitat Expo-Express station, gives a fair and great idea of the ingenuity with which man has been able to build himself a shelter with all the attributes of modernism, in an urban setting where space is precious as gold. Habitat 67 offers the advantages of concierge living, where many families can be accommodated in a small space, and those of suburban living, thanks to its gardens. Finally, each home is close to the shops that are essential to daily life, which can be accessed via routes that are protected from the elements.
In the eyes of visitors. Habitat 67 is a collection of terraces on top of each other and set back from each other on twelve floors. What characterises this new housing complex is the way in which the terraces and flats are arranged in a way that preserves the economy of the construction, and the set of streets and passages that serve each home on all levels.
The housing area has 158 dwellings of 20 different types, from the 600 sq. ft. (just under 200 m2 ) one-bedroom apartment, to a 1,700 sq. ft. (more than 500 m2 ) with four bedrooms. 354 modules, each 17 ft. 6 in. by 38 ft. 6 in. (12 metres) by 10 ft. high (3 metres), made of precast concrete were used for construction. After the modules were poured, the kitchens, bathrooms, insulation, appliances, etc. were integrated.
The houses are arranged in such a way that the garden of each house rests on the roof of the one below. Each garden is provided with flowerbeds, all watered and fertilised from the same source. The occupant chooses the flowers and plants he prefers.
On the ground floor, a network of paths connects the services and parking lots. Above this, pedestrian walkways have been laid out, providing access to all parts of the complex via bridges and walkways.
The pedestrian never has to cross the service roads. The floors are accessed by three lifts housed in three shafts. There are parks on the fifth and ninth floors for small children who cannot go alone to the park their elders have at ground level.
Through its bold design and ingenuity in every detail. Habitat 67 makes an important contribution to the study of man in the city.