The communal space needed to be open and flexible enough to accommodate a dinner party, a big movie night, a pre-parade costume-making-gathering, and pole dancing. The tall, long, continuous space is grounded by the large central kitchen, the heart of the house. Above the kitchen is the costume room in an open mezzanine space. Flowing around this central heart, people can eat, pole dance, and lounge in various configurations. Connecting the communal house with the private spaces is a bridge-like entry, that also opens up communication between the exterior decks and gardens and the interior gathering spaces. 

The scale and construction of the house references the traditional shotgun housing type in the surrounding St. Roch neighborhood, in a more contemporary style. The clients wanted to fully embrace the vibrant color palette of the city, but without any traditional detailing, we were free to use color toward a different end: At the front and rear facades, colors are applied to vertical trim elements, a composition that shifts when seen from different angles, creating a blending and fuzzy optical effect. The palette is also shifted between the three masses, emphasizing the separate programs with color blocking. At the interior, the vibrancy remains. Natural wood, ceramics, and terracotta are complemented by an earthier version of the exterior paint palette, which is used again to emphasize the programmatic heart of the house.