To mark its 10th anniversary, ADHOC is publishing Être Habité, a collective work that unfolds as a journey through the ten essential themes that shape the firm’s architectural vision.

In a field where architects rarely put pen to paper, ADHOC stands out by choosing to articulate its thinking through writing. Être Habité is a first: an architect studio that, after a decade of practice, dares to take an audacious step by publishing the very first collective French-language book written by local architects.

More than just a collection of projects, Être Habité weaves a common thread between ideas and projects, blending stories, reflections, and testimonials. Structured into ten chapters that frame the firm’s practice, this book features contributions from ten figures in the architectural, entrepreneurial, and creative worlds, including Dominique Lebel, author and Senior Vice President at Behaviour Interactive; Marc André Carignan, Editor-in-Chief at Kollectif; Thomas Balaban, associate professor at Université de Montréal; Karl Dorais-Kinkaid, urban planner at L’Enclume; and Marilou Hudon-Huot, Vice President of Commercial Leasing and Residential Development at Société de développement Angus, each exploring one of the core themes of ADHOC’s approach. These perspectives are enhanced by testimonials from ten current and former team members, resulting in a 251-page journey into a practice where the human dimension shapes every action.

This editorial experience led the firm to reflect on what drives their practice, the ways it comes to life, and the people and partners who help it grow and continue to inspire it. Staying true to their human, collaborative, and multidisciplinary approach, this project was designed hand in hand with the maubau team, resulting in a carefully crafted work that stands as an authentic book-object. After a decade devoted to shaping Montreal’s landscape, taking a step back became essential to move forward with clarity and purpose.

The book invites readers to see the existing built environment both as a vector of identity and a lever for tomorrow’s constructions.

“Heritage is not a chain that holds us back, but an anchor that keeps us from drifting," says Jean-François St-Onge, Co-Founder of ADHOC.

Guided by this vision, ADHOC publishes Être Habité. More than a look back on ten years of practice, this work is an invitation to make architecture part of the public discourse. While architecture shapes our everyday lives, it is too often missing from social debate. With Être Habité, ADHOC brings architecture into our collective imagination to be discussed, dreamed of, and shared.

Être Habité is now available for purchase on ADHOC’s website and at select specialized bookstores (Canadian Centre for Architecture, Boutique du Magazine Ligne, Librairie de Verdun…), as well as at the Grande Bibliothèque and in some universities.