How a 23-Year-Old Solved Urban Sprawl

Habitat 67 is finally being completed. Explore the model in Unreal Engine and find out how this generation of architects worked with Safdie to fully realise his vision here - bit.ly/41D5fII
Full story here - theb1m.com/video/epic-games-s...
This video contains paid promotion for Unreal Engine by Epic Games.
Additional footage and images courtesy of Epic Games, Neoscape, Inc., Safdie Architects, Matias-Garabedian, Trofar, CBS Sunday Morning, TED, Spirit of Space, Discover Montreal, QHD Habitat, Toto, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, United Artists, Tom Parnell, Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poirrier, Bellisario, Lego, University of Toronto, Thomas Ledl/CC BY-SA 4.0, If Walls Could Speak by Moshe Safdie, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and Vertigo Films.
Listen to The World's Best Construction Podcast by The B1M
Apple - apple.co/3OssZsH
Spotify - spoti.fi/3om1NkB
Amazon Music - amzn.to/3znmBP4
View this video and more at - www.TheB1M.com/
Follow us on Twitter - / theb1m
Like us on Facebook - / theb1m
Follow us on TikTok - / theb1m
Follow us on LinkedIn - / the-b1m-ltd
Follow us on Instagram - / theb1m
The B1M Merch store - theb1m.creator-spring.com/
#construction #architecture #technology
We welcome you sharing our content to inspire others, but please be nice and play by our rules - www.theb1m.com/guidelines-for-...
Our content may only be embedded onto third party websites by arrangement. We have established partnerships with domains to share our content and help it reach a wider audience. If you are interested in partnering with us please contact [e-mail].
Ripping and/or editing this video is illegal and will result in legal action.
© 2023 The B1M Limited

[@TheB1M]

Walk around and explore the completed Habitat 67 yourself here - bit.ly/41D5fII

[@Phooenixification]

Looks amazing, 3 terraces for one apartment is crazy, enormous amounts of natural light but also privacy. However it was pretty cramped with tiny hallways but i liked the camping-van style sliding doors. I would think that managing rainwater and melting snow can be an issue and causes maintenence for all those terraces. Would be cool to see how they manage that, if there is some drainage system from every one. We can get like 1-2 meters of snow where i live in the winter and wonder if they would handle it x) Don't take me wrong I love the concept and would rather live there than in my shoebox.

[@lasarith2]

8:26 I recall seeing a video that said you could use Lego bricks to build a skyscraper 3KM in height because of how strong the plastic they use , wither that’s true or not idk, wonder if that’s something you could in fact find out .

[@fredashay]

Looks like something only the super-rich can afford to live in, and then when it gets old and starts to decay, will become a slum.

[@joostgraafmans6916]

​

[@joostgraafmans6916]

​@Mattias Wiklund

[@Adlil]

the designer after design : it’s a masterpiece ! the engineer and the builder : oh lord

[@carlosr192]

It's a solution...a good one that can be improved with money or be corrupted without it. The original I liked it a lot.

[@clothokaftan]

i think moshe safdie missed the whole point of suburban housing, apartments share a common and singular plot of land, and while in some countries that land is divided across all of its unit owners when the building is eventually demolished, it still ends up being ridiculous for them when that time eventually comes. all buildings taller than a certain height (varies between countries) have a fixed lifespan of 50 years according to international building codes (with the exception of national heritage sites and buildings built with materials other than wood, steel, or concrete), so you eventually lose your home, and have no land to rebuild with or even sell. say for example that the condominium you live in is occupying 1000 sqm, and the number of unit owners are a conservative 2000, if you consider the law that allows unit owners to own a piece of the total property, then they end up with 0.5 sqm each, which is nothing. this is why suburban housing is so important for people of the retiring age, because staying in a condo all your life will get you screwed over sideways. condominiums are realistically for the young and able who can use it as a springboard for their future towards retirement in a stable life with a home they own in a land they own and sources of passive income. condo's are the complete antithesis of that goal. edit: also i can tell you now from firsthand experience, living near where you work is a horrible, horrible experience. if your clients/customers/patients know where you live then they will never stop freaking invading your off hours just to get you to do something for them when you're not supposed to be working. this was the problem with my childhood home, where the 1st floor was a dental clinic and the 2nd floor was the house, in the beginning we weren't averse to telling our patients where we lived especially since my dad wanted to show off his expensive collections upstairs or invite them to dinner. then over time we started to realize that there were a lot of people who were better off not knowing where we lived, some would harass us nonstop day in day out and even throw stones at our windows just to get our attention (most of them for stupid things like a toothache, like seriously just come back for your next appointment literally tomorrow morning!!!), and the harassment would get worse over the years as the prevalence of karens began, so eventually we didnt tell a single soul where we lived and asked our neighbors to do the same, only close friends of the family would get to know. and only then did we finally get some peace. being so close to home can only be a curse, 15 - 30 minute walking distance is fine, but literally down the stairs is definitely not good at all.

[@MrJ4ckie]

@@clothokaftan I don't know where you live but where I'm from buildings don't get torn down after 50 years just because. Your story regarding living near where you work is also a) anecdotal, b) pretty specific and c) utterly irrelevant since you don't have to live literally next door even in this concept. This is just a different way of building large settlements that seems more enjoyable, sustainable and efficient than many current concepts, it doesn't require you to live in the building/tower where you work.

[@clothokaftan]

@@MrJ4ckie the international building code is 50 years for concrete structures over 3 stories, if thats not the case in your country then your country is probably not following the international standard. A. anecdotal? really? so personal experience amounts to nothing when it comes to social engineering because of plausible deniability? what a joke. B. pretty specific my arse, the concept of this design literally combines residential with commercial spaces in the same building. C. its not irrelevant at all, in a standard high rise condominium with commercial spaces on the first 5 to 10 floors the residential spaces can be isolated from the commercial spaces with resident only elevators that require RFID cards, you cant do this with safdie's hairbrained design because everyone has access to eachothers spaces by stairways and no security to subdivide the spaces, it wont be very hard for disgruntled customers to find where you live just by following you home within the same building. and i know from over 20 years of experience how horrible it is to be harrassed by clients/patients at home which is supposed to be your safe space. separating your workplace from your home is extremely important for peace of mind and rest. finally living in a condo of any kind is only meant for the the young who have a long life to save and invest, since a condo will always be torn down in 50 years and is a horrible cross-generational investment, this is why suburban or rural housing is infinitely superior to any condominium lifestyle at retirement age. you would be a king of fools to spend your whole life in a condominium.

[@robertthompson3077]

Yeah. Good luck earthquake proofing a design like that

[@028fn48dne]

Anyone who's been to Habitat 67 knows that the neighborhoods of Montreal itself are walkable, not sprawly. But to get to Habitat 67, and to get from Habitat 67 to go shopping, you need a car or you need to bike along a road that isn't bike or pedestrian friendly at all.

[@Barnaby_bo]

How can a road be unfriendly to cars?

[@justbecause3187]

The reason that it doesn't have shops of its own is likely because it wasn't built to the scale originally envisioned by the architect. Still it's a bit disappointing to hear that it hasn't been well integrated into the larger city.

[@pyros4333]

​@@justbecause3187that's the fallacy everyone falls into. You just gotta build it into X or Y. At the end of the day integrated developments are already in existence. And city living is "nice" but absolutely not what people want when they grow up. Apartments need to exist but so do detached homes. Mixes are required to make this work

[@justbecause3187]

@@pyros4333 yeah, I can't say that I much like the idea of apartment living either, but it is what the powers that be seem to want to impose upon us. As far as apartment block designs go through, well it certainly could be worse than this one.

[@pyros4333]

@@justbecause3187 the powers that be is a nice way to say you dont want to go against the grain and ruffle any feathers 😅 People should decide their fate and choose what they want. Every other future thought up has been dystopian when we go giant city apartment living lol.

[@itskhalilb]

What I love is even though Safdie proposed (and built) a world changing concept he still seems to retain his humility and ability to be humble about this amazing creation. Kudos

[@snowshoes5942]

I came up with a plan to put windmills on Jupiter to solve the energy crisis and yet no one ever compliments me on retaining my humility!!

[@ajitkhad]

@@snowshoes5942make a video and convince people. It's very easy these days!

[@peternyc]

@itskhalilb, your comment is from the heart. So many people here are moralizing. You have a kind soul!

[@JimTheCurator]

​@@snowshoes5942 oh man, look at the humility on that man's retainer. 😍😍

[@Alley00Cat]

I am from Montreal and live close to Habitat 67, I look at it almost every day. No one can understand what this project means to Montrealers unless you are from here. It is both utopian and dystopian and a massive part of the local zeitgeist. Imagine strolling in Old Montreal amongst Greco-Roman inspired buildings, Notre Dame cathedral and classic North American colonial stone homes, you look across the water and see this insane futuristic stacking of concrete cubes isolated on an island like a museum piece and you wonder “wow, what in the world is that??”. It’s one of a kind, a dream that was never realized beyond this single project. The brutalist architecture covered with plants emphasizes the “lost world” feel to it. And yet, mixed use housing, daring architecture and an emphasis on landscape architecture is making a massive comeback in city living across the world. Think Hudson Yards in NYC. The vision IS coming true, but in a modern fashion. Long Live Habitat 67.

[@r.b.l.5841]

Montreal Winter Concrete Every unit has maximized heat-loss due to surface area. Your "Terrace" is only such for the summer, in winter it is a snow load. You can't clear the snow without dropping it on a unit below. This is a design for a place without winter, perferably without rain either.

[@Alley00Cat]

@@r.b.l.5841 yes, design wise it makes no sense for winter. But winters are getting warmer, and building materials are much more advanced today.

[@r.b.l.5841]

@@Alley00Cat Builds suffer more maintenance costs today then even buildings 50 years ago. No building today will last thousands of years like ancient Greek and Roman or Egyption structures. We build disposable structures today. Then neglect them to save money.

[@rwrocksteady]

didnt expect to get emotional, how great for him to see his work appreciated in this way!

[@tinayoga8844]

In the end I cried.

[@Thunderbuck]

I got a little weepy myself 😊

[@dimitar297]

Getting emotional about worldly attachments is illogical.

[@krisstopher8259]

i usually get emotional about stuff like this so i feel a bit emotional that i didn't feel emotional

[@micosstar]

@@dimitar297 but this wordly attachment has a purpose; to build better cities!

[@GameOn82]

I live in Europe in a concrete tower and one of the biggest problems is keeping it warm in the winter because concrete gets very cold. This model exposes almost every apartment to outer elements. That requires more insulation, more waterproofing, etc. Those terraces look nice but that means that every apartment has a roof to worry about (that is why the top-floor apartments are always the cheapest... they leak).

[@ooooneeee]

IKR. If the terracing was done less extremely it would reduce the outer surface area and make it less expensive to inaulate, heat and cool. Like the terraced villages in Greece and other Mediterranean countries.

[@GameOn82]

@@ooooneeee Or favelas in Brazil 😂😂

[@fcalin21]

I was thinking the same. In addition i would say it does seem disordered.

[@Scott_Stone]

You need to start living in those energy-efficient buildings; they are great. I live in a Nordic country, and I usually stop using heating in February. The sun does all the work. But I see where you are going with this, having your little unit open to the elements doesn't sound very comfortable.

[@ryccoh]

How old is your building? The roof leaking would not be a problem or if built cheaper then just like a regular home the owner will have to suck it up every several decades

[@critterkarma]

I was a kid, when my family visited Montreal’s Expo 67, from NY. I still remember how impressed I was with Habitat, and simultaneously, disappointed that there were only a few spaces/homes open to visit. I asked my parents if we could live there. Perhaps now, Habitat will finally be realized beyond the virtual world.

[@kendra.achildress5210]

He was waaaayyyy ahead of his time... This is amazing!

[@mikecapson1845]

As a 3D Visualizer, ther Guy who modeled the building has all my respect.. I cant imagine how complex and unreadable the drawings must have been :D

[@sacation6057]

I must hope he made a 3d paper model of it 😆

[@KM____________]

my grandfather actually worked on Habitat, I've seen at least interior plans, that are very clean

[@thefrontporch8594]

Pipe dream. Looks like BS to me.

[@Kenionatus]

High chance they are very readable to someone used to reading architectural plans. There are probably even plans in different degrees of detail for such a large project.

[@AEON.]

He did have LEGO's though - but yeah, drawings alone - oOf - imagine the Pyramids in Egypt and other ancient sites!

[@climategladiator]

With professional interviews, cinematography, this youtube video has a feel of a high budget documentary. Creator of this channel has been consistently increasing his quality. kudos!!

[@dimitar297]

This comment was written by a bot and attached to thousands of videos across a multitude of channels.

[@krisstopher8259]

@@dimitar297 oh come on bro

[@macjonte]

@@dimitar297 Are you talking about your own comment or the one you're replying to? ;)

[@developingtank]

One of your coolest videos. Makes me think about how many topics haven’t been touched on KZbin, how much the world can still grow and change, and how cool it is that people use products of their times and place (Lego then/Unreal now) to fully realize visions as much as possible. I know you do some already, but I hope you do more videos about subjects with a lot of history. The history element of architecture is so cool. 🙌

[@VancouverCharlotte]

I'm not an architect. I am a carpenter. So I do design things. This video made me cry. I do so much appreciate this vision.❤💯🇨🇦🇨🇿

[@ELMS]

I’m a Canadian who remembers expo67 and Habitat, but I never really understood the concept of the residence until seeing your video. Much appreciated, Fred. Really well done. 👍

[@ctalcantara1700]

Ahhh so Canadian. Never really understanding and appreciating outstanding achievements and accomplishments of his own until it is recognized by the world.

[@uwo100]

​@@ctalcantara1700 what ?? are you ok bud

[@lucasrem]

it was always a failed dream, community life is not for all

[@ianhomerpura8937]

@@lucasrem because people in the US and Canada have become too used to misanthropy. I really don't get why people there have started to hate any kind of socialization and sense of community with such passion.

[@peachulemon]

Hopefully one day Canada can implant these apartments. We need these now more then ever!

[@ChongJiaHao]

As a Singaporean, I am extremely grateful for Moshe Safdie Arvhitects for bringing our icons such as Marina Bay Sands and The Jewel to being built and showcased to the World! Not forgetting other projects too.

[@VS257]

Go Canada!

[@jamesoo96571]

Wow I didn't know it was all his projects, a truly unique architect

[@Blex_040]

He also made the Sky Habitat in Singapore where you can clearly see the same design elements as in his original Habitat 67 vision! And those are only four of his many designs, really incredible track record for one architect!

[@Thunderbuck]

The Jewel is another brilliant development. I'd live there in a heartbeat.

[@ddj2010]

Thanks for sharing that connection! As a kid in 70s Montreal, we lived near Habitat, then as a teen in the Singapore, saw Marina Bay being constructed in what looked like the middle of nowhere at the time.

[@ikeu6433]

He absolutely right. It was ahead of its time back then and 60 years later the idea is still ahead of its time. I commend him for being such a patient visionary. His dream will help the world.

[@Zarzar22]

I actually think that instead of using this outlook for individual homes it should be used for the city itself. Give people a lot of greenery, accessible and close by necessities, make it walkable, with areas of open sky but also areas with something overhead to provide shade like a forest canopy. When you boil it down to housing you will get no more unique and varied architecture, but if you leave the buildings to be unique and instead focus on making a livable and beautiful city you would improve the lives of everyone no matter what sort of house they live in

[@humanharddrive1]

yeeeees

[@louisperron4243]

As a former architecture student in Montréal, you created a masterpiece. Moshe Safdie created something way waaaayyyyy ahead of its time. I cycle often in front if it and every time it never ceazes to amaze me. Great job!

[@isidromonteso4947]

I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume he meant to say, it never “ceases” to amaze, but his “smart” phone autocorrected incorrectly.

[@lucasrem]

A future that never was ! Canadian people like sharing social space ? Guess NOT too ! why so small ? Study social behavior in the 1960 ish years, mad times ! community life ? did you build anything yourself ? Masterpiece ? or forgot it ! Habitat 67 ...

[@rogink]

@@isidromonteso4947 I'll go out on both limbs and guess that his first language isn't English but French.

[@muradm7748]

what exactly makes it ahead of its time? Don't we have tools and materials to build something like that today?

[@shalahuddinumar3386]

@@muradm7748 The design and the thought of it makes it way ahead of its time

[@vinayprakash1687]

The design doesn't look like it's 50 years old. It looks modern.

[@lucasrem]

Modern, you meant the Billions strip, modern ?

[@FastSloth87]

most brutalist buildings look futuristic.

[@TheRandCrews]

@@FastSloth87 Montreal’s Brutalist designs are really well done, prevalent in some of the metro stations

[@got2bjosh]

What? The building looks very much of its time. The use of concrete, lack of ornamentation, focus on clean lines, and natural light is quintessential Modernist architecture. More specifically, it is very much in line with Brutalism, Structuralism, and the International Style. What you're trying to say is that it feels contemporary, but that isn't right either. The structure isn't Postmodern (no sense of referential play or remixing of styles) nor does it evoke Structural Expressionism or Deconstructivism. The heavy use of concrete doesn't exactly make it a model for sustainable or green architecture either.

[@darKILLusionnn]

50 years ago is modernism at its peak lol

[@saintsfearful]

As a structural engineer I can list a number of reasons why this hasn’t taken off. You can make a modular structure without having an unnecessary amount of bending moments by overhangs. The difficulty of the design was even mentioned in this video. Architects notoriously design structures that look cool but are a nightmare for engineers and builders to implement. I’m the first to be critical of urban sprawl and single use zoning, but in light of the outrageous cost of housing nowadays we need to also consider practicality of construction as well as livability.

[@bhante1345]

Financial districts need to be collapsed as a lot of those jobs will be redundant soon because of AI, and we're already seeing major financial companies size down as it is and relocate to smaller properties. Recycle the old ugly behemoths of big finance and use the floor space for more affordable and social housing.

[@saintsfearful]

@@bhante1345 I’m all for repurposing commercial office buildings for housing. It’s not quite as easy as people think as office buildings aren’t designed for all of the additional walls, appliances, and foot traffic that residential apartment buildings use but it’s still easier and faster than building from scratch. There’s also zoning laws that prevent this kind of thing, which need to change.

[@kuddybeef777]

As a new HVAC tech, this looks like an infrastructure nightmare.. I imagine all the utilities would look so ugly coming out of random places

[@kylejmarsh3988]

the whole thing is butt ugly so i guess they would fit right in. this type of construction is so contrived it's a wonder nobody sees what a wreck it is. why is the choice between levittown and this monstrosity? what happened to 3-5 story compact urbanism like you see in every european city? Must we have skyscrapers or subdivisions but nothing in between? the mind boggles.

[@petrab.7780]

As some other people have pointed out, winters in montreal get very cold, especially just off of the st lawrence without any natural shielding from the wind. The structure of the design is cool and a longstanding cultural monument that we all love, but it's widely known to be a freezer box that's hell to heat in the winter. There is no way that by now we haven't figured out ways to heat and insulate modular buildings like these while also doing something about the grey concrete coffin look that feels more like urban hellscape than green paradise. We need ideas like these--but we need to make them better.

[@Native_Creation]

Yes, there's a variety of ways the original designs can be improved upon with newer technologies and methods, like thermal pipes, hempcrete, etc.

[@BeastyBite]

first of all we need to regulate immobilia market, stop private rich to buy space, then we can start building progressively, just then there is a realistic chance to make stuff like this happen.

[@ukno918]

With better computing and AI the industry can develop more realistic models/simulations without having to build anything, so hopefully that'll pave the way to finding a viable solution. On the flip side, capitalism is driving developers to cram as many people into as small a space as possible, so maybe it doesn't matter.

[@kylemalachowski]

This is the best comment on this video. Everyone is so black or white here. You catch the balance well

[@thomgizziz]

It may look better on the surface but cramming people into a small area is still cramming a bunch of people into a small area and comes with all the same issues, putting a coat of paint on it doesn't make it better.

[@fishijoe]

Well deserved spotlight on Habitat67! Was not expecting to see the B1M make a video on the "Lego City" in my hometown

[@justicedemocrat9357]

I prefer habitat69 hehehe

[@valdemarjuel7060]

@@justicedemocrat9357 NICE

[@aligyie]

"Terassenhaus" a blast from the past... They were quite popular in Germany in 60s and 70s and then they suddenly disappeared. I would be interested in some detailed reasons why. Just from a pure building physics point of view, I could imagine the following negative points: - More area of "flat roof" or balcony on top of living rooms (weather and rain could easily cause problems, leaving the rooms underneath at risk and creating higher maintenance costs to keep everything dry). - more exterior surfaces lead to more heating+cooling costs and create more expensive construction. - They often use a lot of #concrete which has some general negative sides (high #CO2 emissions; it's inherently porous and can therefore absorb water, which can lead to moisture problems. These include structural deterioration through cracking or crumbling, corrosion of steel reinforcement and possible mold growth. All of this can affect building integrity, energy efficiency and health conditions...).

[@aligyie]

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrassenhaus

[@r.b.l.5841]

I am not familar with German Building codes, but a few challenges: Accessibility for all, elevators instead of stairs, thermal insulation, heat losses, snow loads, roof leaks and maintenance costs come to mind.

[@lzh4950]

Here in Singapore the same architect (who also designed Marina Bay Sands & Changi Airport's Jewel shopping centre) also designed the Sky Habitat condominium which is 40 floors but has a similar exterior design as Habitat 67, & was probably inspired by it. From far it looks a bit like a white pyramid. There is also the Balastier Pt apartment block with shops on the lower 2 floors with a similar design too, albeit shorter

[@murraywagnon1841]

As a 17 year old I visited Habitat '67 at the World's Fair in the summer of 1967. I was sure that it would lead the way to the future of housing. Maybe it will.

[@WildWestGal]

I believe it's going to become a major component of housing in the not-too-distant future. It will redefine "urban living."

[@_blank-_]

Nah, it's too complicated to build and it looks like shit.

[@forposterity4031]

Worst place to live, glad I moved! There are guided tours everyday, you feel like you're in a weird people watching zoo, no privacy whats so ever. Each unit cost $810,126.58 to make in today's money value so if you make new project that mimics this it's not sustainable or affordable for anyone but rich elites. It has leaky terrible flat roofs that are always under repair but never repaired fully. It's made of subpar concrete and was rushed so the concrete is always damp and being repaired, mold is everywhere staining the concrete. It's an eyesore and a health hazard, it's a failure through and through. The only reason the condo board can pay for maintenance to keep it livable, is guided tours that start at 50$ a pop. Everything about this is a failure of idealism and a disregard for reality.

[@WildWestGal]

@@forposterity4031 Wow. Well, that's an eye-opener. Of course, today, the pre-fab cost on 3D printers would be far less and made out of materials that are mold-proof, leak-proof, and well insulated. Overall, though, when I looked it over, I didn't like the small windows, and it just seemed a bit too 'constricted' for my taste. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@MichaelFlynn0]

@@WildWestGal - 3d printed concrete structures would crack when lifted into place unfortunately. They have very poor tensile strength. Maybe 3d concrete printed in situ ..but NOT with flat roofs.

[@Celis.C]

This, my dearest B1M. This is what I watch your channel for. What an absolutely amazing concept and story! Thanks for sharing it!

[@geirasES]

I would love that Safdie would experience this dream though VR, at least. Closest to reality as it can be. What an amazing story, thanks B1M

[@djr3386]

It's preposterous to give the architect 15M , when he asked 45M for a project and then calling the project a "failed dream". Beautiful video by B1M 👏👏👏

[@amreshsc1024]

All respect to the 3D modelling team! Understanding this design from drawings is a real challenge. And yes, this was a futuristic design proposed at the wrong time.

[@TalesOfWar]

The time was right, the problem is the people with the purse strings lack the vision. That's something that will never change lol. Even now I bet they'd find it almost impossible to convince the powers that be to help build something like this even with all the extra tools and decades of data showing how well it would work thrown their way.

[@bhante1345]

​@@TalesOfWarno, the people with the purse strings have a sense of class and beauty. They have lived through and seen the grotesque nature of brutalist architecture and this is like a phantom of that seeping back in to our world in hopes of possessing as many poor souls as possible.

[@TalesOfWar]

@@bhante1345 Wealth doesn't mean class. Just look at Elon Musk.

[@snowshoes5942]

When would it be the right time? It's still not cost effective.

[@dougmoore6612]

B1M, if you haven’t finished part 2 yet, I would love to watch you examine how natural lighting reaches the nooks and crannies of the lower level apartments and ground-level public spaces. Whenever I watch video representation of tall, unique building designs intended to improve dense urban living, the light levels down low always feel artificially enhanced. In real life, when I have walked through places like downtown Manhattan (a traditional vertical skyscraper space), or that weird MIT building (an extreme, askew version of Safdie’s modular spaces), the ground levels are always dark, and full of dark crevices at street level, not in alleys, that never see sunlight. This design claims to provide the advantages of personal space, access to sunlight, and open spaces, while being viable in a dense urban environment. Yet, in the Unreal Engine digital models, the light levels feel artificially increased again. What happens when realistic light levels are shown at various times of day, with various weather conditions, throughout the year, surrounded by other similar and dissimilar styled buildings, in a true urban environment? Are the lowest apartments and public spaces dark for 90% of the day except when the sun is at that one angle that allows light in? Are the highest apartments the only ones that truly gain the benefits of this design concept in full?

[@biazacha]

Probably the 90% scenario; there’s a limit on how much you can do when it comes to building vertically and sunlight. But yeah, def would be interesting to see footage of how walking in the lower levels actually feels like.

[@PR15125]

Some people are intentionally choosing apartments with windows facing north. Not everyone is same.

[@gustavomass6756]

​@@PR15125 You probably don't realize that north facing facade is the ideal for the southern hemisphere. You just want south facing windows if you live above a certain latitude north. Cheers from Brazil!

[@peceed]

There is a simpler solution for light transmission: mirrors.

[@somerandomwords999]

@@peceed lolno

[@InsuYouTube]

As just graduating from university as an Architectural Assitant at the age of 23 (still not an architect yet, but I will be). This project just shows how incredible the mind of Safdie truly was. He created something that was 100 years before its time. The world is still building boring skyscrapers and it needs to be changed. THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!! Truly it is. I have just finished a project with a similar brief but it was no way near the absolute amazingness of this project. Architects are the future, this is the future of how we live. Simple.

[@matthew8153]

I just don’t see diagonally stacked concrete cubes as a good idea. Give me a wood framed house in the middle of nowhere.

[@thedapperdolphin1590]

They’re just worse, less efficient, and harder to build/maintain versions of apartment buildings

[@felixschach9127]

To be honest, the scaled-down version of Habitat 67 that was eventually built might just be much better than a gigantesque structure, as stunning as it might look. It just seems so much more approacheable and human-scaled.

[@muradm7748]

yes to that, I would like smaller building like that around the town. Mixed buildings are always more appealing.

[@forposterity4031]

Worst place to live, glad I moved! There are guided tours everyday, you feel like you're in a weird people watching zoo, no privacy whats so ever. Each unit cost $810,126.58 to make in today's money value so if you make new project that mimics this it's not sustainable or affordable for anyone but rich elites. It has leaky terrible flat roofs that are always under repair but never repaired fully. It's made of subpar concrete and was rushed so the concrete is always damp and being repaired, mold is everywhere staining the concrete. It's an eyesore and a health hazard, it's a failure through and through. The only reason the condo board can pay for maintenance to keep it livable, is guided tours that start at 50$ a pop. Everything about this is a failure of idealism and a disregard for reality.

[@bcccl569]

@@forposterity4031 this comment should be more visible. the video makes it as though it's utopia which it manifestly is not.

[@johnlesoudeur3653]

@@forposterity4031 Yes it is the opposite of form follows function. I bet the 15min city protagonists will love it though.

[@Thinginator]

And claustrophobic. I don't like the denseness of most apartment buildings and cities, and something like this would feel really nice and open, especially since there's a huge space in the middle just to feature plants and beautiful things. I think it's a good compromise between space efficiency and combining different types of spaces, while not making anything feel cramped.

[@expojam1473]

I’m so happy that Switzerland has adopted these concepts into its apartment designs! Ppl really love the open terrance design and proximity to certain places to Really hits home how great Safdie’s ideas are

[@lovehand9531]

Yes. It seems more like a way to live, rather than just a place to live.

[@annafedorova_sf]

This is a fantastic video covering this remarkable housing project. Thanks to all who participated in the creation of the architectural project itself, the new digital 3D model, and the video explaining the virtues of this vision.

[@ASIRIDesigns]

This would be a nightmare from a water management standpoint.

[@andrewweitzman4006]

I'm a Montrealer born after Expo 67. This building is as iconic to us as the Farine Five Roses sign, the Jacques Cartier Bridge, and the brutalist Montreal Metro. It's a gloriously goofy bit of futurism-from-the-past that you pass by every time you head to the old Expo 67 site (these days, the Montreal Casino is there) or look across the water from the Old Port. This was Quebec at its most exuberant and optimistic: when it was busting out into the light of modern day during the Quiet revolution.

[@Eizengoldt]

Too bad no can frikkin afford to live in it

[@tracy419]

​@@Eizengoldtso it's empty?

[@MashZ]

@@tracy419 nope. just 'regular renters' cant afford it due to the high demand (which drives up its rent)

[@tracy419]

@@MashZ I understand. My original comment was more tongue in cheek because clearly people can afford it or it wouldn't be backlogged with people waiting to get in. Just because I can't afford it didn't mean no one can afford it. Build another thousand or so of these and prices would come down. Then someone might be saying no one wants to live in them because there are openings 😄

[@morninboy]

Habitat 67 is an amazing structural masterpiece. As a green builder and designer in northern climates it is problematic regarding energy consumption. I worked on an award winning building recently that has similar convoluted layered architectural qualities to the Habitat structure. We were the second crew to come in and do major repairs on the leaking structure. The complexity of the building and the poor quality construction were problematic. They also used timberstrand products for studs and top plates. When the water damaged to these products they swelled and came apart. I took the claw of my hammer to disassemble part of the building and it was like digging into a box of cornflakes. Longevity, durability and energy efficiency can be solved through simplicity. Skilled quality builders help as well.

[@YELLTELL]

NO!!!!! WE DO NOT WANT 15MIN CITIES!!!!!!!!! WE WANT FREEDOM!!!!!!

[@milobem4458]

@SpaceNerden Like communism means having everything for free and not having to work in a gulag? There is usually a big difference between a promise and an implementation. When I first heard of the 15 minute city I was excited. I watched loads of videos about it. And then I noticed how it's actually getting implemented. No one is going to rebuild your town to make everything accessible in a walking radius. They just draw zones on a city map and fine you for driving across the imaginary line.

[@veresij_]

​@@milobem4458 lol what a joke. Where exactly did you see this?

[@krisstopher8259]

why didn't they use composite materials? they are very common these days

[@morninboy]

@@krisstopher8259 timberstrand is a composite material. What are you talking about?

[@idowhatiwantdowhatisaygoog2361]

Ideas makes this project a great idea: Staggering apartments to maximize balcony space. Ideas that aren't unique to this project: Prefabricated construction. Mixed use development. Ideas that only contribute to project costs: Staggering every single room to break up the exterior appearance. You can tell an idea can't stand on its own when they purposely combine it with 3 or more other ideas to complicate evaluating the one main proposal.

[@Asiliea]

The impact of fighting for a dream that only you have ever fully imagined in your head for _fifty years;_ only to see it with your eyes for the first time... That emotion would've been overwhelming. Amazing. Amazing work and an amazing dream. I hope we get to see it in real life in less than another fifty years from now.

[@REALiTTV4U]

We were thrilled to take part in gathering the laser scanning data necessary to create the model of Habitat 67 and to play a role in the creation of such a beautiful piece of art. Well done to all involved!

[@adamcheklat7387]

Never thought my hometown would be on The B1M’s radar.

[@JK8]

Why?

[@adamcheklat7387]

@@JK8 I’m from Montreal.

[@nw42]

@@adamcheklat7387​ It’s surprising to hear you say that, because Montreal is the second biggest city in Canada and one of the most highly-ranked cities in the world… although I haven’t visited it yet, so I don’t understand how a local might perceive it. Do you feel like the city’s architecture is largely unremarkable?

[@gl4989]

@@nw42 New constructions designs are utter trash

[@gabrielgingras814]

@@nw42 People have a tendency to be oblivious, or even forget, what is so special about something they're used to. Something remarkable becomes mundane after enough exposure. How many people have their minds blown daily by their own smartphone?

[@johnlamerand8490]

It might be worth noting that Safdie did inspire other architects to create Safdie-esque structures. Tao Gofer's Brutalist Sirius building in Sydney is one example. Bjarke Ingels' 8 House and VM Houses are more examples that borrow some of the design logic that Safdie developed. Interesting then that Bjarke also designed Lego Brand House.

[@username_creates6991]

The designs look amazing! I hope they improve and this is realized globally perhaps too.

[@MaysonCrowe]

For those interested in similar projects, Japan has a finished apartment complex called Kawaramachi Housing Complex. It's composed of 9 similar shaped apartments with the open space underneath and terraces above. The amenities aren't contained in the main building but separate buildings a 1 or 2 minute walk away. It was designed by Otani Sachio in 1970.

[@robhersey1796]

I have done renovation work in there. What an amazing place. The hardwood floors have a unique pattern that is known as habitat 67 flooring to contractors, and you can still find some old stock for repairs if you have the right connections!

[@jcarp8471]

So cool! Thanks for the insight. Does the whole thing hold up, or is it like FLW's "Falling Watter" which is in need of constant maintenance?

[@forposterity4031]

Worst place to live, glad I moved! There are guided tours everyday, you feel like you're in a weird people watching zoo, no privacy whats so ever. Each unit cost $810,126.58 to make in today's money value so if you make new project that mimics this it's not sustainable or affordable for anyone but rich elites. It has leaky terrible flat roofs that are always under repair but never repaired fully. It's made of subpar concrete and was rushed so the concrete is always damp and being repaired, mold is everywhere staining the concrete. It's an eyesore and a health hazard, it's a failure through and through. The only reason the condo board can pay for maintenance to keep it livable, is guided tours that start at 50$ a pop. Everything about this is a failure of idealism and a disregard for reality.

[@ryccoh]

It sounds each of these problems are solvable

[@MichaelFlynn0]

@@ryccoh - you need to read and comprehend what FP said. It is a spectacular failure - which any professional could envisage. You cannot have a garden on your roof without it leaking.

[@fuzzyc]

​@@MichaelFlynn0 you absolutely can, that's how our houses are in South Asia and many other parts of the world. We even receive more precipitation than most of Canada. It's just an old building, made with a very tight budget so of course they had to cut corners on concrete and materials. Done properly, these are all very solvable problems

[@AmosAmerica]

Amazing post! Thrilling idea. Can't wait to see the vision via your link. My parents visited Expo '67 and I have slides my father took during Summer 1967. I wound up doing a special event in Washington DC, displaying the slides in a warehouse space nightclub sometime in the mid 80s. I will have to dig them up and look again.

[@danielgreensides8463]

Using some modern materials on the outside could make habitat 67 look really cool. Looks a bit blah being just concrete then you see inside and it's actually amazing.

[@BenjiSun]

Safdie's architecture is fully embraced here in Asia, in Japan, in China, in Singapore, ... absolutely revolutionary for his time, and continues to inspire a less blasé urban skyline.

[@thomgizziz]

Have you been to any of those countries... they aren't bastions of rural life, they look as urban as every other urban city. Also, this doesn't do anything to make things better. It may look better on the surface but cramming people into a small area is still cramming a bunch of people into a small area and comes with all the same issues, putting a coat of paint on it doesn't make it better.

[@BenjiSun]

@@thomgizziz i live in the heart of Hong Kong in 300sq.ft and have an urban-lite apt in Tokyo that's around 500sq.ft. do you have a lot of experience with actual severe urban density? It is way better for the overall environment to embrace verticality than those massive sprawls of manicured lawns, gas-guzzling pickup trucks/weekend RVs, and genocidal outdoor cats. my Tokyo place is one of many regions where it's just unending widespread 2 story micro houses and 3 story apartments. it's such a waste of space to not build vertically but understandable the hesitation and costs for quake proof mid-rises. do you believe it's great for humans to spread out flat and encroach on more wildlife habitation and agri land? should people have 1-3hrs commutes due to traffic in horizontal massive suburban spreads? because this is what some people do in Tokyo that they actually have a tiny one-room apt in the city and only go home to their wife and kids on the weekends due to the horrible commute. what is your experience on this to exclusively say other people are wrong because it doesn't look green? where should the 4.4 billion people who live in urban areas spread to? aren't there enough 140,000sq.ft. Costco or Ikea with massive and entirely paved areas of over a thousand parking spaces and not a blade of grass? isn't that a bigger issue that should be tackled?

[@R3IMU]

@@thomgizziz I agree. This will only work in an ethno state with people who are very homogenous. I don't like how people offer these pilot projects as universal remedies when they come with just as many issues and don't solve many of the current ones.

[@SoteksChunkyProphet-dg7io]

​@designdiario4324 it also makes people atomised, isolated and depressed. Living in high density is literal hell.

[@karenwang313]

Yeah, you do, especially if you want kids. There's a reason everyone in America moved out of the city the moment they could, and continue to do so today.

[@PHDiaz-vv7yo]

One of my favourite B1M vids. Not only a great design story but you humanised it with it’s still living architect. And then moved it forward to another generation. That’s how legacy is built

[@redthrow9827]

you took words right out from my thoughts. well said, & agreed.

[@williamzinedineh]

I do not want a brutalist legacy in achitecture. it's awful and depressing. buildings can be sustainable AND beautiful

[@thedragonlord4952]

Get this in a place like VR Chat so that people can experience it with that level of immersion. I truly feel that's the next step for selling this sort of idea to the public. Just imagine being able to feel like you're genuinely there. Lovely documentary on this icon!

[@snorefest1621]

6:06 that quote is remarkable

[@JustCameronAndHisJeep]

I really wish this was a model for affordable living but I love the architecture.

[@jcarp8471]

It was originally planned to be affordable housing (prefab, quick to build modular structures are cheaper to build!). Over time, it has become quite the opposite.

[@JustCameronAndHisJeep]

@@jcarp8471 true, especially now it would be good to revive IRL across Canada. I'd move in if it was affordably built, available.

[@_blank-_]

I hate it.

[@seratonin7004]

I'd love to see his original plans built.

[@jimsouthlondon7061]

Says the man who owns his own house .

[@seratonin7004]

@@jimsouthlondon7061 sorry?

[@Siranoxz]

@@jimsouthlondon7061 What the hell are you japping about?.

[@jimsouthlondon7061]

@@Siranoxz Another concrete jungle another slum in the sky

[@_blank-_]

I don't. The built one looks awful.

[@michaelpenuela]

Holy shit some of those dystopian movies were spot on lmaoo

[@DanBurgaud]

You know what killed this dream? STAIRS! When you get old, your knees can';t climb stairs.

[@ncubesays]

Did not expect to get emotional over a building project but here we are. This was superbly inspiring and I don't even work in the construction business.

[@TheUrbanSpartacuz]

This has been one of the best episodes I've seen from you guys since following for the last 2 years. I know you guys need the sponsorship's for the channel to thrive but lately the episodes feel a lot like advertising for software and companies and not the documentary style on engineering and architecture I've come to enjoy. This one however, excellent in both the content and editing, with the advert link at the last minute of the episode where it doesn't feel intrusive and I actually want to go check out that virtual model of the Habitat render. Well done B1M team, please keep this as the standard.

[@zennvirus7980]

He modeled it with Legos... HE MODELED IT WITH LEGOS!! Before Lego Architecture sets. Ahead of his time... is an understatement. I've been to Montreal, the expo, an Habitat. And every time. Every. Single. Time. I just... stand below the building, with all those houses above my head. Then walk the length of the top walkway before simply stopping in those terraces and taking the sights. There's something unique about the deceivingly chaotic place that nevertheless follows clear and defined patterns. The façade of illusory randomness over an orderly framework. That's art. Layered art. And it has endured for almost 60 years. This man is one hell of a creative inspiration for modern architects.

[@matthewmustard4305]

Would love to see this reimagined with mass timber and CLT based modules.

[@Thunderbuck]

As much as I've loved this channel in recent years, this is my favorite segment you've ever done. Not only is Habitat 67 arguably the most amazing Brutalist building ever, it was a fantastic urban concept.

[@Cowatude]

Im just now realizing how many people from Montreal follow the B1M

[@TheVRtist]

What a beautiful design and concept. Looks complicated to build but maybe we can utilize some androids to get the works done.

[@ChinchillaBONK]

How they visualised this back then in the 60s without 3D modelling software is pure genius

[@damiaanwolters4739]

I like how the intro also describes most cities in europe

[@faustinpippin9208]

yea lol, I dont know why the US is shooting themselves in the foot with their terrible zoning laws and code that prevents building higher density homes on top of that NIMBYs can block building new housing ridiculous, what a clown country

[@aersoul]

Imagine a VR tour/space of the final product of his original vision.

[@freddybell8328]

You can make it since it's in unreal engine.

[@observerphilobs5498]

Yeah, just like Total Recall. Just don't pick the holiday on Mars

[@bhante1345]

Ideal place for a zombie outbreak. As for actually living there, no thanks, I have too much self respect.

[@theravenousrabbit3671]

Absolutely love these small coffin houses built up like termite mounds. Totally not dehumanizing, totally not morale destroying, totally not inhuman and cruel.

[@CarbonSynergyDesign]

This video is amazing! I love the ingenuity behind habitat 67 and Safdie! Great content!

[@RB-cs5dw]

Never heard of this but what an amazing idea from a person who was so young, absolute genius.

[@FFunSize]

I’ve had the chance to visit multiple times and it lives up to the hype. However, $1.2M-$3M for an average unit is quite steep but so beautiful.

[@sdoogan90]

Always nice to see projects finally finished.

[@DomyTheMad420]

i'll have you know i felt compelled to rewatch this video three times so far, and it's launches me into several designing sprees on paper this is now day 6 i think, i finally realized Minecraft and a few mods oughta make my life a lot easier. thanks for costing me a few months of my life mate

[@SeptemberApril-io1hi]

I toured Habitat 67 during the Montreal World's Fair and loved it. I wanted to stay there and live in this wonderful place.

[@bubediscuss]

Editing is getting so clutch. The switchback to the 60’s was chef’s kiss

[@Moosey-ju4yx]

Knowing that the original version of this living space was created by LEGO makes me all the more happier ☺

[@kevinstory872]

it has character. lots of people would like to live in such an interesting building.

[@billger5710]

Went to Expo in Montreal in 1967 and got to visit Habitat. Very cool then and now.

[@Coffee_break514]

I pass by it every morning when going to work. I knew it was made in the 67 expo but that’s all I knew, thank you B1M for giving it context!

[@JamesBong313]

Shoutout to epicgames for promoting and financing something very interesting and important man

[@LostOnceLefthanded]

the reduced cost building looks a bit like an ant hill. The 3d of the whole project is absolutely gorgeous.

[@ayindestevens6152]

Admittedly I’m more of a traditional architectural lover but I have to admit BOTH versions of Habitat 67 deserve praise and maybe one day the original version, with some tweaks, will rise. One of the best videos the B1M team has created! Greetings from NYC.

[@brandenthrasher4948]

This is so wholesome! to see an old architecture star get to bring his idea together with the help of technology! It's absolutely beautiful!

[@change9929]

Brilliant architect.Habitat made architects think of the possibilities.Even the marina hotel.

[@eyeanmorris]

I saw a model of Habitat 67 in a museum when I was like 14 and I took some pictures of it then spent the next two weeks creating it in minecraft. Didn't realize it was such an architecturally significant building

[@crypticTV]

5:50 As a Sri Lankan, I am extremely happy to see Moshe Safdie's original design come to life. This design brought our icon "Altair" to life. It also has the same "hillside" design and is the closest so far he has come to realizing his dream. 🤩

[@rodnyg7952]

I've friends that live at Habitat 67, and it's interesting to see from inside the security gates. In my opinion it's mostly a cold grey concrete place where I'd never want to live

[@armorclasshero2103]

Same

[@donmc1950]

I remember visiting habitat in 1967 and found it a very novel place ,but the location was very isolated in the St Lawrence river and very cold in winter.

[@NniemandweiterR]

Someone should load this into a VR program and allow the man to exerience it in actual 3d

[@randymiller2460]

If the patio is part of someone else's roof, a repair of a leaky roof would likely require tearing up your patio. Also, if you wanted a garden on your patio, how much soil and materials could you use before overloading the structure? Not to mention the logistics of getting all that material up there.

[@orianna1220]

I'm sure testing is in order for weight distribution of the entire structure. Materials are taken into consideration, hemp concentrate seems like a good pick here it's light and strong. But I'm sure they look at all options. Getting material up High is what humans do. I've been on some crazy structures and it's baffling to how humans got extremely heavy material so high but they did it. I'm sure projects like this aren't perfect but as a human living the existence I'd rather see different options in housing. You know how America's housing is very structured unless privately funded. Safe investments with maximized profits per square foot instead of thinking of the human experience within the walls they funded. Stuff like this makes me think what other cool projects we humans could do and why we haven't built anything monolithic to awe the masses of our accomplishments of a collective working society. I'm rambling my bad have a dope day lol

[@randymiller2460]

@orianna1220 I'll definitely agree that if you are going to live in an apartment, that type of design is much more appealing than a straight up and down building with barely a balcony or no balcony at all. In the US, most zoning laws make it so that you can't mix residential and commercial areas. If you live in a suburb, you can't do anything without a car.

[@aaronmontgomery2055]

@@randymiller2460 there are already apartments where your patio is some's roof. Generally you have rules in place to prevent issues like that. The specifics of soil would only be allowed on the sides where there would be drainage and anything else would not be allowed in the bylaws. (basically no real garden but you can have potted plants). As for logistics of materials it isn't difficult if you look at how Korea does things for apartments. Personally I am not a fan of the style but I can see the appeal.

[@MuzzaHukka]

Uh, helicopter?

[@triplemoyagames4195]

@@randymiller2460 Because the US was bought out by the auto industry. It's quite anti-human

[@Samuel_J1]

This is such an understated video about something so bold and different. The design really was ahead of its time and I'm so glad Neoscape has completed the original vision.

[@zyst6]

Wow, just wow. Incredible coverage guys! Y’all really killed it

[@krisnanakwame]

This is amazing, I'd love to live somewhere like that

[@forposterity4031]

Nope, let me tell you from experience. Worst place to live, glad I moved! There are guided tours everyday, you feel like you're in a weird people watching zoo, no privacy whats so ever. People break off from the group and will look into windows, it's creepy. Each unit cost $810,126.58 to make in today's money value so if you make new project that mimics this it's not sustainable or affordable for anyone but rich elites. It has leaky terrible flat roofs that are always under repair but never repaired fully. It's made of subpar concrete and was rushed so the concrete is always damp and being repaired, mold is everywhere staining the concrete. It's an eyesore and a health hazard, it's a failure through and through. The only reason the condo board can pay for maintenance to keep it barely livable, is guided tours that start at 50$ a pop. Everything about this is a failure of idealism and a disregard for reality.

[@OneWingedRose]

What a beautiful story. Those buildings deserve to be finished (and hopefully spark many a copycat)!

[@lucasrem]

It's a fake dream, nobody is willing to share community space not beautiful, just a failed dream it is

[@jpp7783]

The capital maintenance costs of a building with so many exterior surfaces, many cantilevered, particularly in our harsh climate, must be many times that of an equivalently-sized conventional box.

[@jens_le_benz]

I love the Lego block design of this place. To this day, it still is one of the only brutalist style buildings that I truly find pleasing to look at.

[@andyginterblues2961]

I was at Expo '67 with my family when I was a child of thirteen. And Habitat was the coolest part of the Expo. I had just been given a "Kodak Instamatic" film camera as a birthday present, and ran around taking pictures of everything. I took several photos of the Habitat's exterior, which were lost to time. I also took the walking tour of the complex, and yes, many of the units were unfinished. I thought it amazing how one would walk onto a patio that was someone else's roof. There is no way to describe what living at Habitat would be like unless you could experience the place in person. I never knew that Safdie was living there with his wife and kids at the time!

[@Dysgalt]

Thank you so much for covering habitat 67, it is my favorite building. I started sobbing from joy tbh

[@pauls.102]

In Vienna, Austria they build something kind a similar, it´s called Alterlaa, a mix of terrasses and big balconies, community swimming pools, shopping, sports, hairdresser, school, kindergarten, all integrated in the complex. there´s even a new movie about it, called "27 Storeys - Alterlaa Forever"

[@JB52520]

Wow, that's stunning. It's a simple concept - offset the modules and put in gardens - but it generates rich complexity no matter where you look. It's interesting everywhere. (I freely admit to knowing nothing.)

[@BertLensch]

I remember studying this in Architectural Design Foundations in the mid-90's. It is so good to see it finally come to a virtual realization!