SPIRIDON CATALIN

Moshe Safdie
Habitat 67, Montreal/Canada
1961/1967

Projekt lang Sommersemseter 2014 | Master-Studiengang

Urban development
Habitat 67 began life as a masters thesis project prepared in 1961 by Mr. Safdie. He
came up with the idea of a high density apartment building that would provide residents
with privacy as well as peace and quiet. . Safdie explored the possibilities of prefabricated
modular units to reduce housing costs and allow for a new housing typology that could
integrate the qualities of a suburban home into an urban high-rise.
Habitat is a model community constructed along the St. Lawrence River in Montreal,
composed of 354 prefabricated modules which combine to form a three-dimensional
space structure.

CONCEPT

The cube is the base, the mean and the finality

of Habitat 67. In its material sense, the cube is
a symbol of stability. As for its mystic meaning,
the cube is symbol of wisdom, truth, moral
perfection, at the origin itself of our civilization.

354 cubes of a magnificent grey-beige build up

one on the other to form 146 residences nestled
between sky and earth, between city and river,
between greenery and light.
 Structure

Safdie explored the possibilities of prefabricated

modular units to reduce housing costs and allow
for a new housing typology that could integrate
the qualities of a suburban home into an urban
high-rise. Unfortunately, due to the reduction of
the projects mass scale, costs were much higher
than expected.

The prefabrication process of the 90-ton boxes

took place on-site. The basic modular shape `
was molded in a reinforced steel cage, which
measured 38 x 17 feet. Once cured, the concrete
box was transferred to an assembly line for the
insertion of electrical and mechanical systems, .
as well as insulation and windows. To finalize the
production, modular kitchens and bathrooms
were installed, and finally a crane lifted each
unit to its designated positio.
Habitat 67 was constructed from 354 identical and completely prefabricated modules
(referred to as boxes) stacked in various combinations and connected by steel cables.
The apartments vary in shape and size, since they are formed by a group of one to
four of the 600 square-foot boxes in different configurations. Each apartment is
reached through a series of pedestrian streets and bridges, along with three vertical
cores of elevators for the top floors. Service and parking facilities are separated from
the tenants circulation routes, located on the ground floor.
Access+Circulation

Belichtung
 Space

Safdie was able to break the traditional form of orthogonal high rises, locating
1.Live 2.Eat 3.Cook 4.Sleep 5.Bathoom
n. each box a step back from its immediate neighbor. This ingenious method
provided each apartment with a roof garden, a constant flow of fresh air and
a maximum of natural light: qualities which were unprecedented for a twelve
story apartment complex. Habitat 67 thus pioneered the integration of two
housing typologiesthe suburban garden home and the economical high-rise
apartment building.