6 June 2016

Aesop Mile End

The design of the Aesop store in the Mile End portrays in simple ways, the underlying theme of movement found through the heritage of the neighborhood. From the 1880’s to the 1980’s, different waves of immigrants settle in this neighbourhood as described by the documentary of Montreal filmmaker Albert Kish “Our Street was paved with gold”. The design of this Aesop store presents itself as a common, but deconstructed, structure. The store appears to be stripped to the bare bones, showing its structural “guts”. As visitors glimpse into the storefront, they are confronted at first with a familiar raw palette of materials – plaster, plywood, limestone, brass, and reclaimed wood. A monolithic demonstration sink, covered in local limestone stands as a visual anchor in the middle of the store compelling visitors to move around it in order to explore the nuances and elements of the walls. The recognizable stud wall is transformed into a plywood structure that unfolds its colors...

1 January 2015

by natureh

Au Pain Doré

The bakery ‘Au Pain Doré’ , located on the ground floor of a 3 storey building on Côte-des-Neiges, decided to do some important renovations. The challenge was to give this chain a contemporary look. ‘Au pain doré’ is inspired by the European concept of ‘bakery/café’ that combines the sale of baked good and high quality coffee where the barista is put at center stage. The interior organization has been completely redesigned with an extension in the back creating a 1500 sqft unit. The spatial concept of the project was inspired by the lattice of wooden bread baskets. A structural wooden frame holds a series of randomized wood slats creating a lattice that opens and closes to create space for lighting and ventilation. The lattice wraps down the wall turning into shelves for the bread and pastries as well as benches and counter tops. The randomized rhythmic lattice provides a dynamism experienced...

1 January 2014

by natureh

Mylène B

Mylène B’s creations are distinguished by their clean lines that highlight the silhouette of the female body.This simple and minimalist approach is reflected in the design of the new boutique situated on Boulevard St-Laurent in the heart of Montreal’s Mile-End district. To minimize costs, the client wanted a design that was simple enough that she could build it herself. In order to maximize the impact of the space and stay within the limited budget, the strategy was to use one primary material: fiber-cement panels. This affordable and expressive material harmonizes with the creations of the designer. Once delivered on site, the client was able to manipulate and assemble the material using very simple but uncommon techniques. For example, large paperclip were used to join folded pieces of hot rolled steel and fiber-cement shelves to create the central display. This creates a very versatile and flexible display that can adapt to new...

1 January 2012

by natureh

Châteaunoir

The existing building, an industrial workshop from the 50’s, shelters a masterful project realized by Jacques Bilodeau in 2003. The concrete block walls and weak foundations of the existing structure could not support the weight of two additional floors. In order to preserve the architectural intervention of Jacques Bilodeau, we had to build on top of the existing building – a delicate and complex operation....

1 January 2012

by natureh

Elixirs

Elixirs bought an old grey stone house from the turn of the century on St-Hubert street with the hopes of completely converting it for their new headquarters. The ground floor and half basement would house their offices, a tasting room, wine storage, and a conference room. The pallet of materials used for the project was kept simple and directly linked to a pallet that would be typically found in the wine production industry; oak, steel, green ‘bottle glass’, and smoked glass. An oak-slatted canopy draws in the visitor from the entrance and then folds down to create a more private zone for work in the offices. This canopy aids in visually linking the office space on the ground floor. The interior ambiance took its Inspiration from wineries and the atmosphere of wine cellars. The dark wood floors and structural elements in black steel are reminiscent of wine barrels are highlight the contrasting...

1 January 2009

by natureh

Memoria Jean-Talon

Funeral homes used to be dark and confined behind opaque facades. Alfred Dallaire MEMORIA completely renovated their building to offer luminous and peaceful environment for the mourning of the deceased. The inside spaces become adaptable and multifunctional environments, integrating projection screens, convertible furniture and coffee bars. The laboratory and showrooms are located in the basement while the funeral parlors are on the ground floor. Reception rooms and a small chapel are found on the second floor. The existing building went through an extensive renovation. The 3 facades had to be taken down and completely redone. The structure was reinforced to meet earthquake regulation and the walls re-insulated. The main entrance and elevator shaft were relocated....

26 September 2008

by natureh

Beaubien project

Complete transformation of a mixed-use building....

1 January 2007

by natureh

Quattro D

Quattro D presents a fresh ready-to-eat concept, halfway between a convenience store and a café. The starting image was that of an urban picnic: a gigantic tablecloth is lifted up, wrapping the ceiling and upper walls to meet the fridges. Derived from traditional Italian embroidery, the tablecloth pattern was hand-painted in the style of large-scale urban graffiti. Under this canopy, a central counter mounted on trestles zigzags through the space. Quattro D conveys a message of freshness, urbanity and carefully prepared homemade food....