Westmount Aesthetic Clinic undergoes a major glow up !
Renowned ENT and cervico-facial surgeon Dr. Sami Moubayed sought a commercial space to expand his cosmetic surgical clinic in Westmount. Acquiring the former jewelry box factory, erected in 1932 by the London Paper Box Company, presented an intriguing challenge. Characteristic of Montreal’s Southwest, this two-storey industrial heritage building built of mass timber on load-bearing brick walls accommodated two commercial spaces converted into offices. How could the first floor of this century-old space be reimagined into a modern medical-aesthetic clinic ?
The main entrance on rue Saint-Jacques welcomes visitors into a spacious open-plan reception area and waiting room adorned with a striking olive tree. Bathed in natural light, this inviting space remains vibrant year-round, leading seamlessly to a corridor accessing the treatment rooms. The arrangement of the nineteen new rooms maximizes the possible simultaneous treatments while minimizing staff requirement. Each room benefits from a window or interior glazing to diffuse natural light. The low-slung dark volume of the rooms contrasts the slim douglas fir columns and its bright exposed decking.
The cozy yet refined atmosphere, enhanced by lush indoor greenery, evokes the tranquil ambiance of luxurious medispas. A chic and timeless palette, rich in natural textures and hues, adorns the space. From the luminous linen curtains to the champagne tones of the furnishings, the textured wallpaper’s tawny black, and the granite countertops, every detail exudes elegance.
Despite stringent timelines, the industrial building’s metamorphosis is a great achievement ! Creative solutions optimized the limited space, overcoming complex functional constraints. The lighting and exposed ventilation strategy enhances the industrial feel of this historic factory, culminating in a remarkable rehabilitation. For the former Westmount clinic, it’s a true glow up !
The tiny restaurant of Plaza Saint-Hubert doubles its size
The preparation of dumplings is an ancient family tradition from northern China, where Dan Yu, the owner of the restaurant, comes from. The convivial and artisanal experience surrounding the preparation of this Chinese dumpling already charmed the regular customers of this unpretentious Plaza Saint-Hubert institution. The century-old building in which this restaurant was located presented a significant maintenance deficit.
The transformation of the ground floor allowed the merging of two stores into one. On the second floor, a trigenerational dwelling is home to the Yu family. Finally, the growing clientele of the small restaurant is welcomed in a space worthy of their favorite ravioli! Downstairs, the more spacious and functional kitchen benefits from a service entrance on the alley. The dining room opens onto a new storefront window that highlights the artisanal production of dumplings. Thanks to a suspended mirror, people passing by the Plaza can now enjoy a bird’s eye view of the dedicated work of Mademoiselle Dumpling’s staff. Thank you, little hands that make such delicious dumplings!
Downtown’s first climbing center set up in a former Red Light movie theater.
Filled with ambition, two young Montreal climbers started looking downtown for a building big enough to accommodate their bouldering passion. They eventually settled on an abandoned Red Light movie theater and transformed it into a climbing center. Beyond the sporting activity, they sought to create a place where the growing community of urban climbers could meet.
Driven by this inclusive vision, the architects created a friendly place where the coffee lover can mingle with the expert climber. To take advantage of natural light, large windows were added on Saint-Laurent Boulevard and on the mezzanine. The long black façade features the café and the block wall on either side of the main entrance, which is overhung by a large false façade clad with perforated aluminum that overshadows the old Casino cinema.
Inside, the bouldering walls on either side of the space converge on a large podium offering spectacular views of the climbers and leading to the mezzanine with its dressing rooms and rest area. A large part of the furniture is built from demolition scraps. With its large walls painted by muralist Danae Brissonnet, Café Bloc offers 4000 square feet of climbing walls and a vibrant atmosphere! Welcome to the Red Light district of the 2020s!
To maintain its steady growth, Innovaderm Research, one of the largest clinical research centres in dermatology in North America, must relocate its activities. The research centre decided to move to the upper floors of the former ExCentris cinema. The administrators asked L. McComber to solve the organizational challenge: public clinic, research laboratories, pharmacy, offices and cafeteria had to share the space despite the many functional constraints of the existing building.
The new layout is designed with a high level of hygiene and the utmost privacy standards. Each sector of the facility is isolated by restricted access. The services are arranged in the middle of the level, freeing up the open spaces near the windows, one of the most beautiful views being shared by all, thus brightening up the casual meetings of the cafeteria.
On the east side, the closed volumes of the examination rooms guarantee a high level of soundproofing. Their translucent doors open onto the central desk to help the medical staff in their work. Their compact custom-designed proportions enable easy access to all specialized equipment for the medical staff.
From the solid maple furniture to the hanging plants and the textured coating on the walls, the whole system is designed to bring warmth and comfort to a space that is inevitably highly aseptic. With all its complexities, Innovaderm’s research centre remains above all a place of great humanity whose architecture reflects the organization’s values !
The Ordre des architectes du Québec is reorganizing its offices to better reflect the new structure of the organization.
Issued from an architectural competition launched in January 2013, the headquarters of the Ordre des architectes du Québec no longer met its growing and changing needs. To address this situation, the Board of Directors asked McComber’s expertise with three objectives in mind: rethinking the reception area, optimizing and reorganizing work spaces and improving the overall acoustics.
The custom-designed furniture, built by local craftsmen, cleverly combines steel, felt and wood. Its modular design allows each team to arrange it according to their specific needs. In total, fifteen additional workstations are added to the office. The use of felt privacy screens and heavy cotton curtains reduces reverberation in open areas. At the entrance, the sinuous, user-friendly geometry of the large reception counter provides an active waiting area for visitors. The boardroom is expanded and soundproofed with a long glass wall lined with climbing plants. Its large solid walnut table can accommodate up to 20 people. The design echoes with character the original palette developed by Intégral Jean-Beaudoin. The new geometry with rounded shapes contrasts with the clean lines of the original layout. The Ordre des architectes du Québec can be proud to have participated in one of its great missions: quality in architecture!
A dermatology clinic with warm accents is opened in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
A gym at the Centre Médical du Haut Richelieu is transformed into a state-of-the-art dermatology clinic. The clinic’s dual vocation (consultation and phototherapy) presented a challenge in terms of organization in a compact and highly windowed room. The chief dermatologist wanted to make it a warm, yet ultra-functional space to ensure the comfort of her patients without compromising their privacy. And she succeeded! The new clinic now has six consultation rooms, an operating room, four phototherapy booths, two closed offices, a large reception area with waiting areas and a lounge for employees.
The rounded shapes of the three main volumes correspond to the reception, phototherapy and consultation rooms. In addition to creating visual landmarks, they structure the circulation. They are arranged in such a way as to separate the comings and goings of patients from those of the staff. The lime plaster’s warm tones in the reception area and the woodwork’s red oak distinguish each volume while warming the atmosphere. In contrast, the opalescent glass partitions of the phototherapy booths with their turquoise curtains surprise with their smooth and glossy finish. Optimistic, the Clinique du Haut Richelieu offers its benevolence to its patients as well as to the nursing staff thanks to the audacity of its architecture!
The renowned architectural firm settled into a new customized street-front space just a step away from Plaza Saint-Hubert.
Since its beginning in 2005, L. McComber has been looking for a proper home to develop its practice. From a residential basement to various shared subleases, the firm was ready to invest in a dedicated and personalized space. In association with Nicora, L. McComber took up the challenge and built the Off Plaza. Occupied by apartments on the upper floors, the new building houses the firm on the ground floor alongside its colleagues from Ecohabitation. The space is entirely custom-made: “We wanted a space that looks like us. Sober yet elegant, the interiors and furnitures were designed by our team and produced in collaboration with local craftmens. The result showcases our expertise in a welcoming environment. When we welcome visitors, we are proud to show them what we can do! ». With a rich background as general contractor, builder and designer, L. McComber – architecture vivante combined hard work and experience to make this place a new icon in contemporary Montreal design.
The makers of the Rise kombucha extend their plant in Saint-Léonard.
With sales constantly increasing since its creation in 2009, the young company had to review its production methods and expand its plant. To support its new automated production line, Rise wanted to create living spaces that would reflect its success. Located in an industrial building dating back to the 1970s, the worn-out offices have been transformed into a state-of-the-art laboratory, a welcoming cafeteria and dynamic offices.
By placing the offices on a mezzanine overlooking the lockers and laboratories, the architects created a spectacular double height that forms the cafeteria. A large curtain wall floods this inviting space with light that flows to the executive areas through a long glass wall. A circular terrazzo staircase forms an arc that extends to a wooden footbridge from which one can access the offices and admire the scenery. Suspended in key places, indoor plants complete this inspiring environment that sparkles like a good cup of Kombucha!
Fine wines and market cuisine now on boulevard Curé-Labelle!
It is hard to imagine a fine cuisine in this charmless commercial sector of Sainte-Rose. Yet this is the challenge that faced five founders by opening their wine bar in a strip mall typical of this well-known boulevard. Involved in the creation of both the space and the cuisine, the young associates managed to create a restaurant in their very personnal image: chic, casual and unpretentious. Indeed, the meals are now the main focus, thanks to the classical design that reveals the real ingredients of the restaurant: the selection of wines at the bar and the preparation of dishes in the kitchen. With its leather benches, used bistro chairs and reclaimed furniture, it would seem that the charming wine bar has always existed. A future gastronomic classic of Montreal’s North Shore? Who knows! Long live Oregon!
La Tuilerie opens its first franchise in Charlemagne.
In order to meet the growing demand, La Tuilerie creates a new type of franchised store with limited merchandise. The ceramic sold on site is delivered directly by La Tuilerie’s main warehouse. The new concept aims to recreate the atmosphere of a ceramic warehouse without retaining large stocks for sale on site.
To achieve this objective, tiles are arranged on large panels leaned freely against the exterior walls of the room. Part of the tiles are placed on small groups of pallets around the central sales counter. The overall design creates a warm atmosphere that values technical advice and customized service.
