Habitat 67

Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie for Expo 67 on Cité du Havre in Montreal, became a landmark of modern architecture and a symbol of the fair. Developed from Safdie’s McGill thesis with support from key Expo and federal figures, it was built from 354 prefabricated concrete modules arranged into stepped clusters containing residences with private terraces. The project aimed to unite suburban qualities such as light, air, and garden space with urban density. Although its high cost prevented the larger affordable-housing vision from being realized, it helped launch Safdie’s international career and remained an influential, much celebrated example of rethinking dense urban living.