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Interior redesign of Maison Abner-Bagg
By : RÉGIS
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Office / Office 5,400 - 54,000 sq.ft. (500 - 5 000 sq. m.) : Gold Certification
The primary gesture of sustainable development is to ensure the continuity of existing infrastructure by avoiding demolition and reconstruction, which are environmentally costly actions. As a science whose fundamental objective is the preservation of the built environment, architecture plays a key role in terms of heritage and eco-responsibility. RÉGIS is part of this perennial approach, having set up its Montreal offices in the Maison Abner-Bagg in 2003. As owner of the premises, the firm had the opportunity to embody its mission by protecting and enhancing this property, classified under provincial cultural heritage legislation.
Built between 1819 and 1845, the Maison Abner-Bagg is recognized as the doyenne of the Faubourg des Récollets, the first sector of Montreal to industrialize in the wake of the construction of the Lachine Canal. Now located at the intersection of the Quartier international, Old Montreal and the Cité du multimédia, its enviable position makes it a prime location. The aim was to offer users more functional and flexible spaces, open and bright, where the modernity of the interiors would blend with the building’s history.
Throughout the design process, the Maison Abner-Bagg was subject to ministerial approval. Certain features protected by law, such as the main staircase, moldings and rosettes, were preserved and enhanced in the architectural reflection. Thus, in addition to enhancing the visibility of stakeholders, surfaces made of bricks and stones, discovered during exploratory breakthroughs, have been uncovered.
Judiciously placed lighting systems punctuate the space and highlight certain elements, while coloring emphasizes others with sobriety and elegance.
The programming of the premises was a major challenge, given the contemporary ways of working and the desired interactions. Originally built on different levels, the Maison Abner-Bagg offers no floor plan on a single level, necessitating a series of staircases with a few steps each, and forcing a fragmentation of spaces. The design was therefore built around this structural reality, eliminating as many partitions as possible and creating spacious zones to accommodate distinct, complementary teams. This atypical distribution of workstations provides acoustic comfort compared with large, often noisy open-plan offices, and creates a warm, human-scale atmosphere.
The clearance of the interior perimeter of the building and opening up the spaces allows for a beneficial distribution of natural light, while the light tones of the finishes provide additional brightness. Partitions were replaced with glass walls to create collaborative work areas without darkening the space.
RÉGIS, a firm whose culture has been shaped in the image of its founder, with a human and accessible face, now has office space that reflects its core values. Firmly committed to the research and development of innovative solutions in the field of building. This dedication allows Maison Abner-Bagg to thrive for decades to come, accommodating architects, designers, and urban planners.
