Habitat 67 - Montreal's Architectural Icon

Considered an architectural landmark that is one of the most uniquely recognizable buildings in Canada, Habitat 67 was designed by Israeli-Canadian and McGill architecture student, Moshe Safdie, for Montreal's Expo 67 World Fair. The goal of the project, to maintain a more suburban atmosphere in an increasingly urban city, was accomplished on the edge of the St. Lawrence River by Cité-du-Havre and the Old Port district of Montreal. Originating as a thesis project titled ‘A Case for City Living’, the project was an attempt to work around the limitations of modernity and provide an open living space, clean air, and as much light as naturally possible in an urban environment. Safdie wanted to challenge the concrete high rises that cover the average urban city, with each apartment within Habitat having its own rooftop garden; his catchphrase became, 'for everyone a garden'. With obvious pure intentions, Safdie was hoping to spark a global phenomenon in launching universal affordable urban housing; however, given the present million dollar price tag, it appears Habitat 67 has done just the opposite, serving as an example of elitist inequality.

“Habitat ‘67 is really two ideas in one. One is about prefabrication, and the other is about rethinking apartment-building design in the new paradigm.”^[1]

Habitat 67 is known for having one of the most impressive architecturally designed living spaces in all of Montreal. Designed by Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie as the Canadian Pavilion for the World Exposition of 1967, the landmark was originally intended to exemplify an experimental solution for high-quality housing in dense urban environments. 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. The structure’s exterior exemplifies a sleek minimalistic appearance while the set of homes carry a brutalist architectural style consisting of 146 identical homes reaching up to 12 stories high.^[2] The limited number of units discouraged Moshe as he had hoped for an initial plan of 1000 units, nevertheless, he still proceeded with his vision.^[3] Tenants of Habitat 67 enjoy views of Montreal's St. Lawrence waterway with the backdrop of the Old Port while citizens from Montreal proper are often intrigued by the structure's unique design. The prefabricated concrete homes are arranged in a collection of various geometric patterns that together form 354 solid barriers of concrete that shelter the residents. Such patterns are unlike anything ever seen in other Montreal buildings. Habitat 67 consists of angular and sharp geometric shapes with a monochrome colour palette that covers the surface area of the whole exterior.^[4] Viewers of the structure often describe it as small solo homes stacked and grouped together in a modern and very appealing way. In addition, the structure consists of exposed outer workings with holes throughout the building's inner-workings leading to the outside, a unique detail added in order to avoid the feelings of suffocation and isolation that are often felt in traditional condominium structures. Overall, Habitat 67 proposes an alternative apartment structural layout that challenges traditional ideas of apartment complexes while imposing a captivating style that leaves viewers questioning: is that really an apartment complex?

The construction of Habitat 67 was beset by problems from the beginning. The use of an on-site prefabrication factory to cast the concrete modular boxes was intended to keep production costs low. However, the project’s reduction in size and scope resulted in a sharp increase in the costs of production. Resulting in Habitat 67 costing over 17 million dollars to build, which today works out to 128 million dollars — a high price tag. for an apartment building with only 146 units.^[5] Safdie didn't just want to build his iconic modular units. He wanted to create a factory to build them in. The process of constructing the on-site concrete modular boxes required a reinforced steel cage. Each box was then placed on an assembly line to facilitate the installation of the windows and insulation, as well as the mechanical and electrical components. After the modular bathrooms and kitchens were installed, each box was hoisted by a crane and conjoined with other boxes by a system of post-tensioned cables. The usage of concrete for Habitat 67 further cemented Safdie’s architectural vision of modernity.^[6] Modernist buildings which used concrete were understood, in Le Corbusier’s terms, as “brand-new cities that promised to reduce overcrowding, increase light and air circulation, and introduce a higher quality of life. Through the standardization of these new materials, modernist architecture [can be] international in its ambitions.”^[7] Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67 might have been beset by multiple problems during its construction, but it nevertheless successfully achieved its goal of becoming an iconic piece of modernist architecture.  

When Expo 67 first opened on April 27th, the streets of 1967 Montreal were filled with citizens excited by the new technologies and infrastructure developments that the event would showcase, one of the most anticipated being Habitat 67. By the fair's conclusion on October 29th, it was deemed a huge success, having drawn close to 50 million visitors, with Safdie's structure serving as a significant reason for that. Habitat 67 was designed as a vision for an environmentally conscious and affordable housing. Drawing from Japanese Metabolism (where structures are designed with organic life in mind) as well Modernism, prefabricated materials were used to cut costs and maintain an affordable vision.^[8] This optimism, however, was soon challenged when the budget soared in 1965 during construction. Habitat 67’s initial rent was too high for local Montrealers when construction was completed. In 1986 the development was sold to a businessman whose intention was to create upscale permanent housing. Despite the controversies around the construction and execution of the complex, Habitat 67 was awarded heritage status by the Quebec government in 2009 and remains a significant historical location.^[9]

Habitat 67 has been lauded as both a landmark of Canadian modernity and as Montreal's 'failed dream' affordable housing. Habitat 67 is open to both the public and private sectors as both a museum and symbolic, modern living. Guided tours of Habitat 67 have been available since 2017, being advertised as a walking tour that will “allow you to discover this unique architectural jewel."^[10] Canada Post featured Habitat 67 in 2017 marking Canada's Sesquicentennial, showcasing just how symbolic Habitat is in Canada's modernity.^[11] Conversely, many architects and journalists have stated that Habitat 67 has turned into an ironic failure. Further illustrating that the original idea of it being a low-cost housing project that would be “affordable for everyone” has transformed into an elitist high-end destination. Safdie has stated that Habitat 67’s exclusivity means not failure but success and that "[it] shows it’s desirable. To me, the gentrification of Habitat 67 is the best thing that could have happened."^[12] Consequently, Habitat 67 failed to live up to its promise of being a template for urban living and instead became a pillar of inequality in the 21st century.

^[1] Amanda Dameron, "A Look Back at Habitat '67 with Moshe Safdie," Dwell. December 30th 2012. Accessed November 28th 2021. https://www.dwell.com/article/a-look-back-at-habitat-67-with-moshe-safdie-4035f224.

^[2] Gili Merin, “Ad Classics: Habitat 67 / Safdie Architects.” ArchDaily, July 21, 2013. https://www.archdaily.com/404803/ad-classics-habitat-67-moshe-safdie. 

^[3] Gili Merin, “Ad Classics: Habitat 67 / Safdie Architects.”

^[4] Habitat 67. “Guided Tours - Visit Montreal's Architectural Icon!.” Last modified July 18, 2021. https://www.habitat67.com/en/habitat-67-guided-tours/. 

^[5] McIntosh, Andrew and Jennifer Carter. "Habitat 67," Canadian Encyclopedia . https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/habitat-67.

^[6]Charles, Morgan Julia. “Shaping Time in the City: A Cultural History of Concrete Modernity in Montreal, 1903-2015.” Dissertation, McGill University Libraries, 2016.

^[7] Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier Before Le Corbusier : Applied Arts, Architecture, Painting, Photography, 1907-1922. edited by Stanislaus von Moos and Arthur Ruegg. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002.

^[8] Gili Merin, “Ad Classics: Habitat 67 / Safdie Architects.”

^[9] Habitat 67. “Guided Tours - Visit Montreal's Architectural Icon!.”

^[10] Habitat 67. “Guided Tours - Visit Montreal's Architectural Icon!.”

^[11] Andrew McIntosh and Jennifer Carter, "Habitat 67."

^[12] Weder, Adele. “For Everyone a Garden.” The Walrus, October 15, 2019. https://thewalrus.ca/for-everyone-a-garden/. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Charles, Morgan Julia. “Shaping Time in the City: A Cultural History of Concrete Modernity in Montreal, 1903-2015.” Dissertation, McGill University Libraries, 2016.

Dameron, Amanda. A Look Back at Habitat '67 with Moshe Safdie, Dwell. December 30th 2012. Accessed November 28th 2021. https://www.dwell.com/article/a-look-back-at-habitat-67-with-moshe-safdie-4035f224.

Desson, Craig. “How Montreal's Habitat 67 Is Inspiring a New Generation of Apartments in Asia | CBC News.” CBC/Radio Canada, September 2, 2019. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/moshe-safdie-habitat-67-montreal-asia-1.5237223. 

Discover Montreal, “Iconic Habitat 67,” YouTube video, 7:58, Oct 14, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdemf-VcDVk&t=95s&ab_channel=DiscoverMontr%C3%A9al. 

Habitat 67. “Guided Tours - Visit Montreal's Architectural Icon!.” Last modified July 18, 2021. https://www.habitat67.com/en/habitat-67-guided-tours/. 

Kenneally, Rhona Richman, and Johanne Sloan. Expo 67 : Not Just a Souvenir. Cultural Spaces. Toronto Ontario: University of Toronto Press, 2010.

Kristine Dirksen, “Habitat 67 stacks 354 prefabs that get urban/suburban balance,” YouTube video, 30:01, January 12, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQaaftbHMi8&t=512s&ab_channel=KirstenDirksen. 

Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier Before Le Corbusier : Applied Arts, Architecture, Painting, Photography, 1907-1922. edited by Stanislaus von Moos and Arthur Ruegg. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002.

Luft, Amy. Inside Habitat '67 . https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/take-a-tour-apartment-inside-habitat-67-for-sale-for-1-3m-1.4827191.

McIntosh, Carter. Habitat 67, Canadian Encyclopedia . https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/habitat-67.

Merin, Gili. “Ad Classics: Habitat 67 / Safdie Architects.” ArchDaily, July 21, 2013. https://www.archdaily.com/404803/ad-classics-habitat-67-moshe-safdie. 

Morris, A. E. J. . Habitat '67. Official Architecture and Planning, vol. 30, no. 6. Published June 1967. JSTOR.

Paiement, Genevieve. "Habitat 67, Montreal's 'failed dream' ." The Guardian May 13th 2015.

“The Construction of Habitat 67.” Voices of East Anglia, August 20, 2013. http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2012/10/the-construction-of-habitat-67.html. 

Weder, Adele. “For Everyone a Garden.” The Walrus, October 15, 2019. https://thewalrus.ca/for-everyone-a-garden/.