In this digital age, innovations are abound, while at the same time, traditional boundaries are blurred. Foil Gallery, which opened its doors a little while ago in Mile-Ex, a former industrial area of Montreal which has seen an accelerated transformation in recent years, is an exemplary new venue. Founded by artist duo Frédéric Duquette and Jo-Anie Charland, Foil Gallery – mind you, it’s short for Finer Objects in Life – is a hybrid affair, combining a gallery, café, and bar on the premises of a redeveloped ammunition factory erected in 1910. Duquette and Charland tapped local atelier l’abri to create a fitting setting which very much retained the building’s industrial legacy while also blending in elements that firmly anchor the design in a distinctly contemporary context. First, the structure was fully stripped, laying bare its essential material framework of wood plank ceilings, timber trusses, and concrete beams and columns. The concrete slab floor has been cleaned and sealed, preserving the wear and tear of over a hundred years of use and history.

New skylights brought in natural light, creating an entirely new spatial experience, while an abstract metal volume was inserted at the core of the space, organising the gallery’s public areas and housing its private functions. The outer walls are dipped in a white hue, providing exhibition surfaces and a sharp contrast with the preserved textures of the floor and ceiling. The design approach taken not only demonstrates a clever reuse of heritage buildings in today’s urban development, but also a sustainable transformation of former industrial venues. Upon entering Foil Gallery, visitors find a café, featuring a sleek curved counter with an artisanal micro-cement finish and paired with custom-made steel stools by Canadian designer David Raymond. At the back of the space, a closed projection room is situated which is used for audiovisual works and immersive events. The aformentioned metal volume also houses a meeting room and workspace, furnished with a large table by local woodworker Essai and Vipp chairs. © superfuture