The workshop firmly believes that an architecture that is responsible and respects its context and environment can contribute to improving our environment and our quality of life. The office’s approach advocates efficiency, sustainability and local sourcing.

L’Abri has taken on the challenge of promoting sustainable design standards that have a positive impact on our well-being, our health and our environment, without reducing the architectural quality criteria of its constructions. L’Abri’s projects demonstrate that a building can be both aesthetic, in harmony with its environment and as efficient as it is healthy.

The office’s mission is to build long-lasting projects that create value and have an environmental, social and economic impact. L’Abri’s team will be able to guide you through all the stages of creating such projects and answer your questions regarding the different standards, construction costs and undeniable advantages of such an approach.

Atelier L'Abri, Architecture Master Prize 2024, Small Firm of the Year Award in Multi-Disciplinary Architecture

Maison Melba, Grand Prix du Design, 17th edition, Grand Winner - International Prize in architecture

Atelier L'Abri, Architizer A+ Awards, 12th edition, Jury Winner, Best young firm

East Shoreline, CCNQ, International ideas competition for the redevelopment of Quebec City’s St. Lawrence River Shoreline, Winner

Columbus Gateway Student Housing, Rethinking the Future Awards 2022, First Award, Housing up to 5 floors (concept)

The term Passivhaus, or Passive House, refers to a high-performance construction standard that promotes energy efficiency, comfort, and the sustainability of buildings. Developed over 30 years ago in Germany by the Passivhaus Institute (PHI), this standard allows, among other things, for energy, heating, and cooling savings of about 80% compared to a standard building. In Europe, several countries have adopted this standard and have already integrated it into their local building codes. The basic principles of the standard are simple: a highly airtight and well-insulated envelope, an efficient heat recovery ventilation system, and a design that encourages natural heating of the building, with windows that bring in more heat than they lose. Contrary to what many people think, these buildings are not disconnected from the electrical grid, but their energy consumption is much lower, and their dependence on the grid is reduced.

The Passivhaus standard is a performance standard—it sets precise criteria, but architects are free to meet these requirements in their own way. This flexibility encourages architects to find the best ways to build and advance building science. Relying solely on the minimum construction techniques permitted by the Building Code today is nonsensical. In a context where climate change is becoming more apparent each year, architects and builders must tackle the challenge and learn how to build better. For a client, choosing to build a passive house is a responsible decision to reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to changing mindsets, one building at a time.

We have taken on the challenge of promoting the Passivhaus standard without compromising on our architectural quality criteria. We are convinced that a building can be both aesthetically pleasing, harmonious with its environment, and highly efficient.