From inhabitat, five “must-see design destinations.”
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The building complex was first conceived by architect Moshe Safdie as his master’s thesis in architecture at McGill University in Montreal. However, the project quickly took shape and was ultimately built as a pavilion for Expo 67 at the World’s Fair in 1967. From the beginning, Safdie’s goal was to design a modern urban apartment complex that integrated the benefits of suburban housing including: gardens, fresh air, privacy and multilevel environments. This was the first structure to combine these two concepts and its influence has since “redefined urban living.”
Habitat 67, Montreal is composed of modular pieces that cantilever in many directions, forming a conglomerate of stacked apartment units. All of the units were prefabricated on-site, and each has its own rooftop garden space set upon the roof of the neighbor below.
