Montreal

A “smart vertical community,” Humaniti is a thoroughly modern, mixed-use megaproject, designed in harmony with its pluralistic context. It offers varying degrees of permeability with its surroundings, creating spatial moments. Its thoughtful design succeeds in acting on the human, district and metropolitan scales. Registered for WELL certification, Humaniti’s design and materials meet stringent air and water quality criteria; prefer smart, anti-glare lighting systems; promote physical activity; and incorporate inspiring design features and works of art, combining various biophilic design approaches. Brandon Barré Inspired by the relationship between humans and the urban environment, Hotel Humaniti’s publ... More

Located in Vieux-Rosemont, nearby the Promenade Masson, the new DESK architectes workshop is right in the heart of the neighborhood where it was born. Wishing to operate a place of meetings and collaborations evocative of their beliefs regarding the city, the group of architects chose to settle in a place directly connected to the street; an active and proactive postulate towards the effervescence of Montreal. The chosen place is characterized by high ceilings of over 13 feet, raw materials and generous windows. The exposed structure reveals an imposing poured concrete cross-wall, a polished concrete floor slab and visible mechanical elements. The objective of creating a first tailor-made workshop for DESK was to provide the firm with the... More

The mandate consisted of developing a boutique that would sell quebecer microbrewery beers and bulk food that was not only aesthetic, but above all functional. We began by developing the design of a visual identity. Then, we arranged the space and produced the technical plans for the construction. Which led us to create a showcase website allowing the “décapsulateur” to have an online presence. The objective of Packsac Studio is to have consistency between the graphic design, the architectural design as well as the web design in order to strengthen the power of the brand. The visual identity of the “Décapsuleur” is distinguished by the graphic element which represents a bottle of cold beer. The cap nex... More

Flanked by Montreal’s magnificent City Hall building and an equally stately former courthouse, the revived Place Vauquelin is the highest point in Old Montreal and a rare connector between the city’s historic heart and its vibrant downtown core. Previously sunken below street level and stifled by overgrown vegetation, the square’s myriad roles – as a lookout, a meeting place, as a forecourt for City Hall, a thoroughfare – were only partially fulfilled by a crumbling, dated design.The project called for the restoration of the Jean Vauquelin monument and square to their former glory; the redevelopment of its fountain and pool for maximum visitor enjoyment; the integration of welcoming urban furniture; and the optimization of tree cover, light... More

The growing presence of a pre-eminent legal brand.Toronto-based Torys LLP, founded in 1941, is a top-tier North American practice representing prestigious companies in Canada and globally. After completing the renovation of Torys’ Toronto and Calgary offices, KPMB was invited to design their office in Montreal.Consistent with the Toronto and Calgary offices, the plan order uses the same guiding principles; the ends of corridors are kept open, office pods have glass fronts, and the gallery space is created to showcase their Canadian art collection.Montreal is a small space servicing one practice group. In addition, it also gives presence to the Torys brand in the city and the opportunity to host Torys large client base in Montreal.The design... More

An alternative model to the gated university by going beyond the footprint of a site at every level to contribute to street animation, safety and social vibrancyIn 2001, Concordia University held a design competition to rehouse three major faculties; Engineering, Computer Science (ENCS), Visual Arts (VA) and the John Molson School of Business (JMSB), on either side of Guy Street. This initiated the first phase of its long-term vision to create a more cohesive identity for its dispersed downtown campus: an integrated complex – Le Quartier Concordia.The winning design emphasized three clear strategies; the importance of creating a vibrant ground plane which would act as a hub to both connect the academic fabric of the urban campus and offer s... More

The architectural firm Atelier Barda was mandated in September 2016 to expand the headquarters of SSENSE, a fashion platform known for its exclusive original content and a curated selection of over 400 fashion and luxury designers for men and women. Located in a neighbourhood that was once home to Montreal’s textile industry, the space has a surface area of 24,000 square feet, and was formerly used for logistics and warehouses. The project involved the complete redesign of the existing space to meet the company’s growing needs while staying true to its strong brand image.   The main objective was to design a functional space that would speak to its original purpose and conserve its industrial look and feel by paring down... More

AdGear – a fast-growing digital marketing agency founded in Montreal in 2010, and now an independent branch of Samsung Electronics – commissionedACDF Architecture to design its new headquarters located on McGill Street, in Old Montreal. AdGear is a young and innovative firm, and they wanted ACDF to provide them with a functional space for the company’s 60 employees, that would play up the contrast between their historic setting and their and innovative company culture.Originally built in 1886 as a dry goods warehouse, the property wastransformed into office space in the late 1990s. ACDF developed the space comprised from two adjoining buildings using the party wall to designate two distinct zones in the office. On one side, a casual, open a... More

A cross between a hotel room and loft apartment, the space required a simple yet warm design treatment that would suit its diverse occupants. The Saint-Laurent apartment is located in Montreal’s Mile End district, the heart of the city’s vibrant arts scene. Both the apartment and furniture were designed by Atelier Barda. The architectural firm was given the mandate to redesign this 1150 sq. ft. space, which serves as accommodation for the international clients and collaborators of a company in the fashion industry. A cross between a hotel room and loft apartment, the space required a simple yet warm design treatment that would suit its diverse occupants. The layout of the apartment was reconfigured to optimize the rooms and allow fl... More

chrismforsyth.com Montreal's metro system is comprised of 68 stations transporting over one million passengers daily. Often overlooked however is the unique art and architecture of each stop. When the project was launched in the mid 60’s, under the direction of Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau, a competition was held among Canadian architects to decide the design of each station. As a result, every station was designed by an individual architect and art installations were commissioned on a station to station basis. The Montreal Metro Project is an ongoing photo project by photographer Chris Forsyth capturing the ideals of the system- ‘Society In Motion’ and a unique architectural experience. Beginning in 2014, the project’s aim is to accen... More

Shooting after design renovation,in this marvellous condo in Old Montreal More