Japanese-Inspired Minimalist House in Montreal / MU Architecture

Located in Montreal’s Villeray neighbourhood, The Lens is a single-family residence designed for a couple and their children, with an emphasis on calm and balance rather than ostentation. Inspired by Japanese minimalism and the principles of feng shui, the project expresses these influences through refined architectural forms, a careful consideration of natural light, fluid circulation, and a seamless connection between interior and exterior spaces.

From the architect: The property previously contained a single-family house that no longer met the needs of its new owners. Its demolition provided an opportunity to start from a blank slate and completely reconsider the placement, orientation, and spatial organization of the residence, guided throughout by the principles of calm and harmony.

Between Constraint and Light

The central challenge of the project was to reconcile the constraints of the site with the homeowners’ aspirations. Positioning the house was particularly complex: bordered by a street to the south and an alley to both the east and north, the property offered few opportunities to retreat from surrounding views. The desire to preserve the white spruce planted at the corner of the lot added another consideration, requiring the existing tree to be integrated into the design rather than sacrificed.

The architectural response takes the form of articulated, opaque volumes that turn inward while incorporating carefully calibrated openings and transitional spaces. This volumetric composition allows the house to capture abundant natural light from the south without exposing its living spaces to outside views.

The glass-brick wall follows the same principle. As the defining element of the south façade, it captures and diffuses daylight throughout the day while transforming views into the interior into a translucent texture. This treatment preserves the occupants’ privacy while allowing natural light to become an integral part of the domestic environment.

Calibrated Intimacy: A Carefully Organized Living Environment

The residence unfolds across several levels, from the sunken garage to the light-filled volumes of the upper floors. Its spatial organization reflects a desire to carefully control transitions between public and private spaces, and between work and rest. These two organizing principles relate directly to the feng shui precepts applied throughout the project.

At the front of the property, a sloped driveway descends directly to the basement garage. This arrangement frees the ground floor from automotive constraints, allowing it to be dedicated entirely to living spaces. The resulting distinction between service functions and the spaces they serve reinforces the project’s commitment to minimalism.

Rather than functioning merely as a technical level, the basement is conceived as a transition between the outside world and the intimacy of the home. From the garage, a generous mudroom welcomes the family before leading to the main staircase, which provides access to all floors.

The basement also accommodates two guest suites, offering visitors complete independence, as well as a flexible space accessible directly from the driveway ramp. With its separate entrance, this space is well suited to use as a home office or meeting area, accommodating the couple’s flexible professional needs without compromising the privacy of the rest of the residence.

Ground Floor: The Heart of Family Life

The ground floor forms the heart of family life, organized around a large living space that opens toward the garden. The main entrance leads naturally toward the outdoor space and garden, while the main corridor connects to the shared living areas.

The kitchen, back kitchen, dining room, and living room are arranged as interconnected spaces. The living room is distinguished by its generous double-height volume, which gives this central area a defining spatial character.

A playroom for the children is integrated into the family environment, while a powder room completes the program on this level. Outside, a covered veranda extends the living spaces toward the garden below, creating a natural transition between the house and the landscape.

Upper Floor: Private Spaces and Elevated Views

The upper floor accommodates the more private areas of the residence. The two children's bedrooms share a common bathroom and are accompanied by a functional laundry room.

The primary suite benefits from a private outdoor terrace built above the veranda, providing an intimate space in direct connection with the garden. A large office, positioned on a mezzanine overlooking the living room, takes advantage of the double-height volume and expansive views of the garden.

A second staircase leads to a rooftop lounge, which extends onto a terrace dedicated to urban outdoor living. Located at the top of the residence, this terrace provides a distinct and privileged outdoor space.

The Glass-Brick Façade: A Balance Between Light and Privacy

The project's most distinctive architectural gesture is a curved glass-brick screen wall that wraps around the front corner of the house. This feature filters natural light while preserving the family's privacy from the street and neighbouring properties.

Rather than providing clear views through the façade, the glass bricks dissolve the surrounding scenery into a blurred, shifting texture that moves between transparency and opacity. Depending on the time of day, the wall takes on a changing visual quality, echoing the Japanese shoji aesthetic, in which light is only partially revealed.

The exterior composition combines beige concrete-brick volumes with edges that alternate between sharp and rounded forms. These architectural elements engage in a dialogue with the neighbourhood's urban fabric without simply submitting to it.

In the evening, soft interior light passes through the glass-brick wall, transforming the residence into a discreet lantern at the heart of Villeray. The interplay between the illuminated interior and the translucent façade gives the house a distinctive presence while maintaining its understated character.

Inside, a restrained palette of walnut wood, porcelain, and brushed brass defines the minimalist spaces. The interiors are organized around a clear logic of order and movement, expressed through uncluttered circulation and clean lines.

The kitchen and dining room occupy a generous open-plan layout, anchored by a monolithic hood suspended above the island. A row of pendant lights featuring fluted wood elements illuminates the space, introducing a carefully considered material detail.

Visible from the dining room, the glass-brick wall filters soft, ever-changing daylight across the oak floor throughout the day. This shifting illumination creates a calm and soothing atmosphere that naturally accommodates the rhythms of an active family.

An Axis of Light

A floating white steel staircase with glass railings connects the different levels of the house. It frames a vertical void that allows natural light to travel from the roof down to the ground floor, establishing a visual and spatial connection between the floors.

This open relationship between levels also reflects feng shui principles, which emphasize the continuous and unobstructed flow of energy throughout the home. The staircase therefore serves as both a circulation element and part of the residence's broader approach to light and spatial continuity.

Upstairs, the bathrooms continue the restrained material palette through beige porcelain and brushed-brass fixtures. A walk-in shower and a steam shower contribute to a serene, spa-like setting. Soft textures and warm, muted tones create a sense of quiet luxury, providing the couple with a private retreat where the pace of everyday life seems to slow.

A Natural Extension of the Living Spaces

At the rear, the house opens widely onto a garden with a distinctive natural character. Grasses and perennial plants dominate the landscape, while a dark-bottomed swimming pool reflects the sky like a mirror.

A green roof extends over the terrace, which is equipped with an outdoor kitchen. Together, these elements create a sheltered extension of the living spaces and strengthen the connection between the house and its garden.

In keeping with the Asian philosophy that informs the project, the transition between interior and exterior is designed to maintain a continuous relationship with nature and the changing seasons. The garden and terrace become an integral part of the domestic environment rather than separate elements of the property.

A Residence Shaped by Calm, Light, and Continuity

Balancing constructive rigour with atmospheric sensitivity, The Lens explores how materials, proportions, and natural illumination can shape the experience of home. Each space is carefully considered to foster calm, connection, and continuity while responding to the practical needs of family life.

From the articulated exterior volumes and curved glass-brick façade to the vertically connected interior and naturalistic garden, the project brings together privacy, openness, and a thoughtful relationship with the surrounding environment.

Ultimately, The Lens establishes a quiet dialogue between domestic intimacy, family life, and the urban landscape beyond. Through its restrained material palette, carefully controlled natural light, and fluid spatial organization, the residence creates a cohesive and deeply personal living environment in Montreal’s Villeray neighbourhood.

Architect: MU Architecture
Project's Name: The Lens
Location: Montreal, Canada
Year: 2026
Team: Jean-Sébastien Herr, Charles Côté, Magda Telenga, Michelle Bélair, Andrée-Anne Godin, Pierre-Loup Pivoin, Tommy Chouinard, Karine Taillon,
Structural Engineer: Poincaré Ingénierie
General Contractor: Construction OVI
Landscape Architect: Atelier Friche
Macon: Hardy inc.
Photographer: Raphaël Thibodeau