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A. Paterson House([1898-99]) 3467 Simpson Street, Montreal, QC, Canada Residential, Urban house [attached, basement, 3 floors, 5 bedrooms, 2 servants' rooms]; brick; wall bearing Client: A. Paterson Description: Situated on a long narrow lot, this house organizes its space with a principle axis based on an unusual longitudinal symmetry opposed to the width of the principal façade. With the narrow front entrance facing Simpson Street and one side of the house attached to the neighbouring mitoyen wall, the focus is the other side of the house where two large triple-storey bay windows provide both ample sunlight to the maximum amount of interior space of the house, as well as a great view of the lawn.
As the middle section of the length of the house provides the core for vertical circulations, corridors, services, fireplaces and smaller rooms, the symmetry is reflected on both the front and back on the house, where larger principal rooms are located. Such organization of space is deployed on various floors, shaping the living quarter on the ground and first floors, sleeping quarter on the second, and servant’s quarter in the basement.
Upon entering the ground floor through the interior vestibule door built of quartered oak and decorated with metallic glazing, the visitor is welcomed in a main hallway that leads to the rest of the floor. Directly on side of the entrance is a conservatory, providing a wide view of the street with a completely glazed bay window built of a metal structure. The interior of the conservatory is finished with marbled floors and shelves. The two large rooms behind the side bay windows are the drawing room and the dining room. Both of these rooms are decorated with plaster work on the walls, ceiling panels, and fireplace of different styles and materials such as pressed brick and red marble. In between these two rooms is the smoking room, which gives access to the side lawn. The back corner of the ground floor contains the service stairs that lead to the servants’ quarters in the basement. The visitor accesses the first floor through the main U-shaped stairway, which is shielded with a very elaborately designed screen, composed of fine wire and turned spindles, to block the direct view at the front entrance.
The first floor completes the second part of the living quarter. The large billiard room which is behind one of the side-bay windows also leads to the opened balcony at the back. Two bedrooms occupy the front part of the first floor. Two more bedrooms and two nurseries are located on the second floor, accessed again by the main stairway well, which is lit by a skylight.
The front façade divides into two symmetric bays. Not to over-power the verticality, the ground and first floor are put together as one bay. The side façade, flanked by the two main bay windows, focuses on the side entrance on the ground floor, which has a modestly designed opened gallery facing the lawn. The principle cladding material is brick, windows, doors, and columns are dressed with pressed brick, wood, and stone.
Alexander Patterson was the head of the stock brokerage house of Alexander Patterson and Company, of Montreal. He was born in Montreal on March 31, 1861. While his summer home was at St. Hillaire, Quebec, his city residence remained at 3467 Simpson Street. This house is currently a commercial building and occupied by two tenants. Holdings: Urban house (attached, basement, 3 floors, 5 bedrooms, 2 servants' rooms); brick; wall bearing | |
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