yh2 approaches Maison Aubé in Saint-Eustache as a careful act of recovery, expansion, and family continuity. The house dates back to 1811 and belongs to the Maison des Patriotes typology. It sits inside a large garden along the Rivière des Mille Îles, on land that once formed part of wider agricultural grounds. The same family has lived with the house for decades, and the site has grown into a multigenerational architectural story shaped by use, memory, and changing domestic needs.
HOUSING
The garden already carried several layers before the latest intervention. Artist Geneviève Jost built her residence nearby, later known as The First House. Her eldest daughter then took over the ancestral home, while the family continued to adapt the property over time. Previous additions answered practical needs, yet they left the original structure without a clear architectural direction. The owners eventually chose to restore the house to its initial form while increasing its capacity as a shared family home.
yh2 began with the exterior. The team removed an earlier addition attached to the original volume in order to recover the house’s pure form. New doors and windows use double glazing and multiple panes to echo the original openings. The architects also removed skylights and restored the cedar shingle roof.
Inside, the project places the original structure in direct view. Exposed timber frames define the rooms, with damaged portions repaired and new junctions clearly expressed where needed. Restored stone walls reveal the material character of the period. A fireplace takes its place inside the new double-height living area, giving the kitchen, dining room, and living room a shared center. Behind the kitchen, a discreet staircase leads to a multifunctional upper level with offices, a library, and a playroom.
The connection between the ancestral house and the new extension takes the form of a glazed passage. From outside, reflections of trees and the surrounding garden soften its presence. Inside, the passage creates a quiet transition between two distinct atmospheres
The contemporary extension sits among mature trees and follows the logic of the site. Its volume expands and contracts to protect the existing vegetation, giving each room a specific relationship with the garden. yh2 uses ebony-stained cedar, black-stained wooden windows, and a river-pebble roof to place the extension within its natural setting. Inside, the material continuity creates a quiet atmosphere, while windows frame views of the ancestral house, the water, and the trees.
The extension also responds to the exposed timber of the original house. Its ceiling uses visible joists and black-stained wooden planks, creating a measured rhythm through the interior. A central corridor follows the slope of the land through ramps, leading to bedrooms, a bathroom, an office, a gym, and finally the master bedroom. This final room sits slightly apart from the ancestral house, giving it privacy while opening it toward the garden.
Project Name: Maison Aubé
Location: Saint-Eustache, QC, Canada
Completion date: 2025
Area: 3 860 pi.ca.
Architect: yh2
Design team: Marie-Claude Hamelin, Loukas Yiacouvakis, Karl Choquette, Lisa Busmey
Contractor: SMS Turcot construction
Landscape architect: Libre cour + LN Paysage
Engineer: Génie X
Photographer: Maxime Brouillet
