architectural ruin turns into upscale furniture boutique and showroom in montréal

Cohlmeyer Architecture transforms abandoned structure into social hub

On the up-and-coming St-Laurent Boulevard in downtown Montreal, Cohlmeyer Architecture has rejuvenated a neglected building into a vibrant showroom gallery and furniture retail store. The main concept of the project was to reimagine an architectural ruin into a social gem that benefits both the business and the urban context. Behind a reclaimed brick façade, a green oasis is unveiled, inviting visitors to enter the store. The whole project optimizes openness and allows a maximum contribution of natural light to the interiors. Generous amounts of glazing wrap the entire building, allowing also for a clear visual connection to a forecourt.

the city required that the existing building façade on the street front be retained and restored as part of the development approval process

all images by Nanne Springer

integrating an urban forecourt garden

With this project, the architects aimed to breathe new life into a historied and boisterous area of Montréal, for the mutual benefit of the project and the city. The original building was comprised of nearly 19,000 sqft on three full storeys, a fourth level at the back part of the property, and a shallow basement. 

The structure incorporates an urban forecourt garden to serve as both a pocket garden for the neighborhood and an iconic threshold for the retail showroom. To achieve this, approximately 40 feet (12 meters) of the building’s depth was carved out. The owner of the project wanted to transform the dilapidated and shallow basement into a functional showroom space, thus recovering some of the floor area given over to the forecourt. The fourth level functions as office space. 

Each long showroom floor is punctured by floor-to-ceiling openings allowing the entirety of the showroom levels to have visible access to the garden. The architects kept a part of the garden empty to let natural light spill over the interior. As for the plan, each interior space is stripped as much as possible to ensure a spacious open layout without partitions.

an urban green space

‘The end result looks simple and is the result of many different approaches to resolve the junction of materials, edges, spaces, and light. Details were drawn, built, and then taken down to be rebuilt, similar to the way furniture is conceived. Similar to Scarpa’s approach, we were in conversation with the trades early in production and would learn of methods or processes that would inform a solution that would not have been possible without collaboration,’ comments the studio. 

an intricate ceiling adds to the space without competing with the furniture

the architects apply simple gestures to raw materials to create a luxury retail space

the design radiates comfort and luxury

the floor plates are minimal and clean in appearance

each long showroom floor is punctured by a full-height glass wall overlooking the garden or a four-storey light well

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the façade of large-format glass extends from the third story to the basement, providing each showroom level with natural light and views of the garden

the wide shallow spaces overlooking open garden provide striking progression through the retail showrooms

 

project info:

name: Montauk Sofa Montréal
designer: Cohlmeyer Architecture

location: Montreal, Canada

photography: Nanne Springer

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edited by: christina petridou | designboom