Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 Montreal World Expo, was conceived as an alternative to conventional high-rise and suburban housing. Developed initially as Safdie’s master’s thesis at McGill University, the project sought to integrate the advantages of suburban homes—private gardens, natural light, and ventilation—within a high-density urban framework.
Habitat 67 Technical Information
- Architects1-12: Safdie Architects
- Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Area: 29,700 m² | 320,000 Sq. Ft.
- Project Year: 1966 – 1967
- Photographs: © Timothy Hursley, Unsplash Users: See Caption Details
I was convinced that within a decade, every city would have a Habitat, and they would become ubiquitous.
– Moshe Safdie 13
Habitat 67 Photographs
Modular Construction and Structural System
The design was based on prefabricated modular construction, with 365 concrete units stacked to create 158 residences. Each dwelling was designed to have outdoor space and varied spatial configurations, distinguishing it from typical repetitive housing blocks. Habitat 67 faced cost, maintenance, and large-scale feasibility challenges despite its influence on later housing experiments.
Habitat 67’s construction method relied on prefabrication, aiming for efficiency and adaptability. A dedicated on-site factory produced the 600-square-foot concrete modules, which were then hoisted by crane and post-tensioned to form the stepped structure. Each module functioned as a load-bearing element, eliminating the need for additional structural columns.
The project included 15 housing typologies, ranging from one-bedroom to four-bedroom units. Each residence incorporated a private terrace to provide natural light and outdoor access.
The modular system extended to the interiors, with pre-manufactured components such as fiberglass bathrooms, standardized kitchens, and plastic-framed windows. However, while prefabrication was intended to reduce costs, the complexity of stacking and reinforcing the modules increased material and labor expenses, preventing replication on a broader scale.
The structural system relied on high-tension cables, post-tensioning, and welding, ensuring stability but adding complexity to construction. These technical challenges and high maintenance requirements contributed to Hábitat 67’s status as a one-time experiment rather than a scalable housing solution.
Spatial Organization and Circulation
Unlike conventional apartment buildings with stacked floor plates and internal corridors, Habitat 67 introduced a network of external walkways and terraces, creating a multi-level circulation system.
Three elevator cores provide vertical movement, but rather than stopping at every floor, they serve every fourth level, leading to elevated pedestrian streets. These streets function as shared circulation paths, providing direct access to multiple units and reinforcing the idea of an interconnected residential system.
The staggered stacking of modules allows light and air to reach each unit, avoiding the uniformity and repetition typical of high-rise housing. However, this irregular configuration increases structural complexity, requiring extensive reinforcement and limiting adaptability.
Over the years, residents have modified their units, adapting the original design to contemporary living needs. The project remains a protected heritage site, leading to ongoing discussions about the balance between preservation and functional updates.
Legacy and Contemporary Applications
Habitat 67 remains an essential reference in modular construction and prefabricated urban housing. While its design principles have influenced later projects, the economic and technical challenges it faced highlight the difficulties of applying modular construction at scale.
Similar concepts have been explored in projects such as Sky Habitat in Singapore and Habitat Qinhuangdao in China, both of which incorporate stacked modular units with outdoor spaces. Advances in 3D printing, parametric design, and prefabrication technology continue to address some of the limitations encountered in Hábitat 67.
Habitat 67 Plans
Habitat 67 Image Gallery
About Safdie Architects
Safdie Architects is an internationally recognized architecture and urban design firm founded by Moshe Safdie. Known for its innovative approach to high-density housing, cultural institutions, and public spaces, the firm emphasizes human-centered design, prefabrication, and integration with nature. With projects spanning North America, Asia, and the Middle East, Safdie Architects has shaped contemporary architecture through landmark works such as Hábitat 67, Marina Bay Sands, and Jewel Changi Airport.
Credits and Additional Notes
- Architect: Moshe Safdie
- Client: Government of Canada
- Structural Engineers: Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Sise
- Mechanical & Electrical Engineers: Greenspoon, Freedlander & Dunne
- Contractor: Parkin Architects Limited
- Heritage Status: Recognized as a National Heritage Building in Canada
- Total Site Area: 6.04 hectares (14.9 acres)
- Total Floor Area: Approximately 29,700 m² (320,000 ft²)
- Number of Modules: 365 precast concrete units
- Number of Residences: 158 apartments
- Housing Typologies: 15 different configurations (ranging from 1-bedroom to 4-bedroom units)
- Module Dimensions: 5.3m × 3.6m × 2.7m (~600 ft² per module)
- If Walls Could Speak: My Life in Architecture by Moshe Safdie
- Moshe Safdie by Paul Goldberger, Michael Sorkin, Peter G. Rowe
