棚屋

Firm： La SHED architecture

Type： Commercial › Office

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2015

SIZE： 0 sqft - 1000 sqft

Photos： Maxime Brouillet (21)

Located in what used to be a Plateau-Mont-Royal general store, la Shed preserves the area’s vernacular architecture while adopting a resolutely contemporary appearance that reflects the company’s image.

The workshop and adjacent meeting space are completely open and the glass façade allows passers-by to observe the architects at work. Halfway between an office and a boutique, the space redefines the traditional architect’s office. The original building’s structure, located at the center of the office, is highlighted by its neon color scheme. On one side of the office is a large white block that contains the meeting room, kitchen and stationery. The central block on the other side of the office is divided into a materials library that harkens back to the general store’s shelving units. These shelves allow light to filter through to the meeting room that is isolated by a frosted glass wall. The wood paneling, table trestles, lighting and choice of accessories combine to provide the workshop with a casual, collegial and well thought out atmosphere.

The bathroom, located in la Shed’s basement at the foot of a black steel staircase, is surprising due to its lack of a partition. The sliding full height pocket door disappears entirely once open, thus removing any boundaries within the space. The wall-to-wall mirror at the back of the bathroom conveys an air of mystery while the sink seems to float in the middle of the space. The pitch black floor and ceiling bounded by the rubble rock foundation wall provide a stark contrast when compared to the white workshop above, which emphasizes the bathroom’s enveloping and cozy atmosphere.