★ Architecture & Design
Contemporary design and architecture in Quebec
Behind its medieval walls, Quebec hides a surprising scene of contemporary architecture and interior design. Rehabilitation of historic buildings, bold new constructions, and creative design studios: the city gently reinvents its face.
Old and contemporary
A millennial dialogue
Quebec is one of the few cities in the world where contemporary skyscrapers stand alongside houses dating from the 17th century. This architectural dialogue is both a challenge and a unique asset.
Heritage rehabilitation
Quebec architects master the delicate art of rehabilitation. Transforming a 19th-century warehouse into a bright office space, converting a Victorian church into a performance hall, turning an old factory into contemporary lofts: each project is a balancing act between respecting the past and asserting the present.
UNESCO heritage constraints
The Old Quebec's World Heritage listing imposes strict rules on architectural interventions in the historic area. Paradoxically, these constraints stimulate architects' creativity, who must find innovative solutions while respecting the heritage envelope.
Contemporary neighborhoods
Where architecture reinvents itself
Outside the protected Old Quebec, several neighborhoods offer more freedom to architects and serve as true laboratories for formal experimentation.
Saint-Roch: the industrial rebirth
Saint-Roch is the perfect example of successful architectural conversion. Old warehouses and factories have been transformed into creative spaces, restaurants, and galleries. The brick facades, high ceilings, and large industrial windows are the features of this hybrid architecture that charm the neighborhood.
Limoilou: the city rebuilding itself
Limoilou is experiencing a wave of new construction that deliberately contrasts with the existing urban fabric. Local architects are experimenting with new residential typologies, playing with volumes, materials, and the relationship to the street to create buildings that respect human scale while asserting a resolutely contemporary identity.
Interior design
The art of interior space
The interior design scene in Quebec is driven by studios that blend Nordic influences, heritage references, and contemporary boldness.
The contemporary Quebec style
Interior design in Quebec has developed its own style: warm, minimalist, rooted in the local land. Light wood, local wool, artisanal ceramics, and natural stones: contemporary Quebec interiors draw from local resources to create spaces that are both authentic and sophisticated.
Biophilia and connection to nature
Biophilia, which integrates nature into interior spaces, is a strong trend in Quebec design. Living walls, untreated wood, raw stones, and maximized natural light: Quebec designers create interiors that breathe and respond to the need for connection with Quebec's natural environment.
Notable buildings
Quebec's architectural icons
Some contemporary buildings in Quebec deserve special attention for their boldness, their dialogue with heritage, or their impact on the urban landscape.
Prestige Architecture
Buildings that set the standard
Three examples of contemporary architecture that have marked Quebec and whose boldness serves as inspiration for a new generation of architects.
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec ★
The extension of the MNBAQ, designed by a renowned firm, is one of the most successful examples of contemporary architecture integrated into a historic park. The Lassonde pavilion plays with light, reflections, and perspectives to create a unique spatial experience.
The headquarters of SSQ Finance ❖
A glass and steel building that tactfully integrates into the urban fabric of Saint-Roch, the SSQ headquarters is emblematic of contemporary Quebec corporate architecture that rejects gigantism and favors the relationship with the street.
Old Port rehabilitations ✦
The rehabilitated warehouses of the Old Port are models of sensitive architectural conversion. Their original brick facades contrast with contemporary steel and glass additions, creating a temporal dialogue that enriches the urban experience.
★ Barista's tip
A good coffee is enjoyed in a well-designed space. At Carrera Café, we thought through every detail of our space as an architect thinks about their building: proportions, materials, light, circulation. The espresso is our main support, the gourmet board our supporting furniture, and the terrace our opening to the outside. A space that lives, breathes, and invites you to linger.
Studios and creators
Local talent in architecture
Quebec has several architecture and interior design studios whose reputation extends far beyond the city limits.
A new generation of architects
A new generation of architects trained at Université Laval and UQAM is gradually making its mark on the provincial and national scene. Decidedly sustainable, connected to climate issues and Quebec's cultural context, these young architects shape the Quebec of tomorrow with sensitivity and boldness.
The design of Carrera Café
A space designed as a circuit
Carrera Café is itself a design object. Nestled in a stone house in Petit-Champlain, it embodies the dialogue between heritage and modernity that defines Quebec's architectural identity.
Centuries-old stones and contemporary espresso
The stone walls of Petit-Champlain, the wooden beams of the old framework, and the simple contemporary furniture create an atmosphere that honors history without freezing it. A setting that perfectly illustrates what Quebec does best: living the past with the perspective of the present.
Explore Quebec's architecture
Saint-Roch, the Old Port, the MNBAQ: Quebec is an open-air architecture museum. And Carrera Café awaits you in Petit-Champlain to take a break between visits.
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