Maison Aubé

Built in 1811 on the banks of the Rivière des Mille Îles, la Maison Aubé is a former Patriotes residence set at the heart of a vast garden, a remnant of former agricultural lands. Inhabited by the same family for generations, the site has, over time, become the setting for a multigenerational architectural and human story. In response to evolving uses and the accumulation of piecemeal interventions, the owners sought to restore the heritage house to its original coherence and strength while increasing its capacity to accommodate family life.

The project is grounded in a rigorous approach to restoration and reinterpretation. The exterior envelope regains the purity of its original forms through the demolition of an existing addition, the replacement of openings in keeping with original proportions, and the reconstruction of the cedar shingle roof. Inside, the exposed timber frame, stone walls, and central hearth are brought to the fore, revealing the house’s material authenticity. A new double-height space structures the main living area and offers a renewed reading of the timber frame, while a discreet staircase leads to flexible spaces on the upper level.

The contemporary addition, deliberately understated, is nestled among the garden’s mature trees. Its volume expands and contracts to preserve the existing landscape, and its materials—ebony-stained cedar, dark wood, and a pebble roof—ensure a sensitive integration with the site. A glazed passage connects the two buildings, acting as a threshold between heritage and modernity.

In this way, la Maison Aubé becomes an organic and coherent whole, where architecture, landscape, and memory engage in a thoughtful dialogue. Rather than freezing the heritage in time, the intervention inscribes it within a living continuity, making the house a true family nucleus and a place of transmission between generations.