a passive-house retrofit rooted in the land it is on a small road leading to ver mont that stands maison melba, a place of life, creation, and exchang e, designed in har mony with the landscape and rustic heritage of the village of frelighsburg in the eastern townships.

anchored in preser vation and sustainability, this unique architectural project tells a stor y: that of the sensitive and sustainable renovation of a r ural building nestled in the hear t of the meadows and orchards emblematic of this ag ricultural region of souther n quebec. embodying the values of sharing and hospitality of its new owner, the for mer 1970s automobile g arag e has been transfor med into a living space open to the community and the development of collaborative projects.

inspired by the fertile ecosystem of frelighsburg, maison melba now houses a residence, a work studio, a workshop and a culinar y production and meeting space. outside, the small plot of land also includes a greenhouse and a garden dedicated to smallscale veg etable production. the majority of food production will be consumed or processed on-site.

the timeless architecture of maison melba ref lects this vision and these values. the project’s design is based on the sensitivity to details and the passive-house exper tise of the architects in order to deliver a project where beauty rhymes with performance