ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Demolishing the concrete structure would have been the easiest solution, but also the most costly from an environmental perspective.
While the tower’ s curved massing helps to soften its impact, materiality also plays a decisive role. The base is clad in natural stone— a choice that resonates with Bear Mountain’ s immediate context, where stone walls are common in shaping the sloped terrain, and with the dramatic rock outcrops that define the landscape. The mineral foundation anchors the building firmly in the site, while imparting a tactile, timeless quality.
“ We wanted the base to appear as though it emerged naturally from the ground, as if it had always been there,” notes Frappier.
Above the podium, the tower adopts a horizontal language, defined by a series of continuous balconies. The guardrails, clad at their base in wood paneling and framed with slender white moldings, trace lines that, like couture topstitching, highlight the building’ s curves, capture the light, and reflect the shifting moods of the day. Subtle offsets between the partition panels create rhythm within the composition, enlivening the play of light and shadow.
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