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      Ménard Dworkind outfits Montreal restaurant with custom wine storage

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      Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind has created an intimate French restaurant in the Villeray neighborhood of Montreal complete with warm interiors and a custom white oak wine cellar.

      Known as Casavant, the 850-square foot (80-square metre) brasserie-style restaurant was completed in September 2023 on the ground floor of a 1920’s residential building, replacing a sandwich shop.
      Ménard Dworkind has created a restaurant in a 1920s Montreal buildingMénard Dworkind (MRDK) designed the small restaurant – which seats 45 patrons – to bring diners together in a space that combines art deco influences with Montreal’s vibrant culinary scene. It was designed to “blend timeless elegance with a contemporary twist”.
      Located on the corner of the block, the guests enter the rectangular interior through a white brick facade. Natural light comes in from multiple directions through large, black-framed storefront windows.
      Large windows let in plenty of lightThe floor is speckled with 3D-patterned matte tiles by Daltile arranged in a custom mosaic, while beige tile climbs up the walls.

      Burnt orange corduroy banquette seating wraps around the two outside walls with two linear high-top tables floating freely in the space. The vintage French bistro chairs were acquired from another restaurateur.
      Vintage furniture was usedThe party wall serves as the focal point with the bar and custom white oak wine cellar and displays a selection of natural wines in raw wood cabinetry with rounded corner glass-front doors.
      “The wine cellar has been the focal point as soon as we started discussions with the clients,” said partner Guillaume Ménard. “It was important to be able to see it from everywhere you sit or stand.
      “Since it’s wall mounted, it attracts the eye pretty quickly with action going on behind the bar as well as the light coming out of it,” he said.

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      The compact kitchen – with an open pass-through window into the dining space that shows off the lively action of cooking – and the dark blue restroom corridor are tucked at the back of the restaurant.
      “The ceiling boasts a unique, funky patterned alcove made from colorful acoustic panels, contributing to the restaurant’s eclectic and inviting character while helping with the acoustical comfort,” the team told Dezeen, referencing the tray-like inset with a blush, maroon and peach abstract graphic.
      It has a ceiling clad with acoustic panels”We really like the addition of the patterned acoustical panels on the ceiling,” Ménard noted.
      “It adds depth, comfort and colors to the space. It also acts as a lantern since it is lightened up by a dissimulated LED strip.”
      A custom wine cabinet was installedIn addition to the locally crafted and sourced materials, artistic details occur throughout the space like a painting from local artist Nicolas Grenier and a vintage Medusa pendant light by Carlo Nason, which displays the restaurant’s charm through the glazing to passers-by.
      Two of Ménard Dworkind’s previous restaurant interiors in Montreal include the Italian 1960’s-inspired design for Tiramisu with a chrome service counter and large leafy plants and the retro-themed design for Caffettiera Caffé Bar with a checkerboard floor and teal accents.
      The photography is by David Dworkind.
      Project credits:
      Team: Guillaume Menard, Fabrice DoutriauxContractor: Avodah ConstructionCeramic floor and wall tile: DaltileLighting: humanhomeStools: UlineUpholstery: Bisson BruneelAcoustic panels: Akustus

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      MRDK uses arches and mosaics for Ciele Athletics store in Montreal

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      Rounded walls and archways create a flow through this Montreal boutique, designed by local studio MRDK for Canadian sportswear brand Ciele Athletics.

      The first boutique for Ciele, which sells technical headwear and apparel for running, opened in April 2023 on Notre-Dame Street in Montreal – the brand’s hometown.
      Black and white mosaic tiles form a pattern based on Ciele’s apparel at the entrance to the storeThe 3,000-square-foot (279-square-metre) flagship store was designed by MRDK to be as much a boutique as a community space for runners to meet and socialise.
      Along the narrow entryway, flooring comprises black and white mosaic tiles that form a graphic pattern based on select items of the brand’s apparel.
      Visitors are lead past a quartet of mannequins to a community lounge areaAscending four steps or a ramp leads visitors past a large white-tiled planter, then a display of mannequins lined up in front of a brick wall.

      A lounge area at the end is designated for gathering and conversation, offering “anyone with an interest in movement and connection a chance to experience running and the many facets of its dynamic community through regular meet-ups and events”, said MRDK.
      Access to the main retail space is via an archway that punctures a dark green partitionAccess to the main retail space is through an archway with rounded corners that punctures a deep, dark green partition.
      “An arched wall gracefully separates the more public community area from the rest of the store, creating a sense of intrigue and inviting exploration,” MRDK said.
      The green hue continues behind the fluted white service counterOther similar openings in this spatial divider are used to display clothing on single or double-stacked rails.
      The same forest green shade continues on the wall behind the service counter, which is fronted by a white fluted panel and includes a small glass vitrine set into its top.
      Lime plaster covers the angled walls, which feature bull-nose edges that soften their appearanceHerringbone white oak parquet floors are laid wall to wall, running beneath a low central island that is designed to be broken apart and moved around the store depending on merchandising needs.
      A textured lime plaster finish was applied to the walls, wrapping around the bull-nosed corners that soften the angles created by the offset displays.

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      “The play of light and shadows on these textured surfaces creates a sense of dynamism, accentuating the uniqueness of the space,” said MRDK.
      In one corner, a 12-foot-tall (3.7-metre) shelving system presents Ciele’s range of hats on cork mannequin heads.
      A tall shelving system displays Ciele’s hat collectionFitting rooms at the back of the store are kept minimal, with green velvet curtain draped behind the arched openings to the cubicles.
      “The thoughtful combination of materials, textures, and colours creates an atmosphere that seamlessly blends modernity with a touch of timeless elegance,” said MRDK.
      The fitting rooms are kept minimalist and feature green velvet curtainsFormerly known as Ménard Dworkind, the studio was founded by Guillaume Ménard and David Dworkind, and has completed a variety of retail spaces in Montreal and beyond.
      Most recently, these have included a store for plastic-free beauty brand Attitude.
      The photography is by David Dworkind and Alex Lesage.
      Project credits:
      Team: David Dworkind, Benjamin Lavoie LarocheContractor: Groupe ManovraCeramic floor tile: DaltileLighting: SistemaluxLime plaster: VenosaWood profiles: Brenlo

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      MRDK creates a “journey through nature” at Attitude boutique in Montreal

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      Blocks of granite among planted beds are used to display plastic-free beauty products at this Montreal store, designed by local architecture firm MRDK.

      MRDK, also known as Ménard Dworkind, designed the interiors of the Attitude boutique to reflect the sustainable focus of the cosmetics for sale.
      Planted beds are surrounded by a raised ceramic floor at the Attitude store”From the moment you step inside, the design of the space reflects their commitment to sustainability and a connection to nature,” said the studio.
      Located on Saint Denis Street in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood, the 1,000-square-foot (93-square-metre) shop is laid out to evoke a “journey through nature” according to MRDK.
      A large granite block at the centre has two sinks carved into its topPlanted beds in the store window and around the space overspill with greenery, and a raised ceramic floor creates the impression of traversing a boardwalk between them.

      “This subtle elevation change immediately transports you into a new space, a forest floor full of life and colour,” MRDK said.
      The brand’s plastic-free beauty products are display on oak shelves that emerge from the greeneryChunks of granite are used as pedestals for displaying products in the window, while a much larger block in the centre has a pair of sinks carved into its flat top.
      “The boulder-like shape and texture of the island suggest a natural element, as if it has been carved by the forces of nature over time,” said MRDK.

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      “This centerpiece perfectly complements the natural theme of the space, giving customers the sense of being in a nature surrounded by rock formations.”
      The majority of Attitude’s products are presented on white oak shelves that emerge from the plant beds on both sides of the store.
      The raised floor is designed to create a boardwalk between the planted bedsSuspended on white poles and backed by fritted glass, these shelves match the rectangular cashier’s desk at the back, into which the brand’s name is hewn.
      There’s also a refill station that customers can use to replenish the aluminium bottles, further promoting sustainability.
      Smaller blocks of granite are used as plinths to showcase the products in the storefrontMRDK was founded by partners Guillaume Ménard and David Dworkind in 2010, and has completed a wide variety of projects in and around Montreal.
      These include a 1970s-themes pizza restaurant, a colossal Chinese brasserie and a wine bar that takes cues from bottle labels, as well as a renovated 1980s home and a cedar-clad hideaway.
      The photography is by David Dworkind.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: MRDKTeam: David Dworkind, Benjamin Lavoie LarocheContractor: Groupe STLC

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      Ménard Dworkind creates retro coffee bar in downtown Montreal

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      Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind has unveiled a retro-themed coffee bar featuring Rubik’s Cube mirrors and a floor tiled to look like checkerboard Vans shoes.Situated in downtown Montreal, Caffettiera Caffé Bar features a monolithic black terrazzo bar that welcomes people into the open space.

      Visitors are greeted with the terrazzo bar upon entering the cafe
      Combining refreshments and a retail display, this main bar emphasises Caffettiera Caffé Bar’s social focus and curves down to meet the checkerboard mosaic floor.
      “The checkered floor was inspired by Vans checkered shoes,” Ménard Dworkind co-founder David Dworkind told Dezeen. “As Guillaume Ménard and I both grew up in the 90s we tapped into our own personal nostalgia.”

      The checkerboard mosaic floor is influenced by Vans shoes

      The cafe’s owner wanted to bring Italian coffee culture for Caffettiera Caffé Bar, where customers are encouraged to linger over a cup.
      “We placed a footrest at the coffee bar so clients can stand there and have a chat with the barista,” said Dworkind.
      “We included a long, standing bar in the middle of the space to increase the density of people with spots in the cafe, which helps to encourage socialising”.

      A standing bar encourages socialising
      Curved mirrors are mounted onto faux-wood plastic laminate panels, a retro material that aims to connect customers through a sense of nostalgia.
      “The 90s theme was the driving force for the colour palette”, explained Dworkind. “The use of plastic laminate fake wood panels on the wall and bright colours were all popular in the 90s. The Rubik’s Cubes to frame the mirrors in the bathrooms is another example of something from our personal memories of the 90s”.

      Rubik’s Cube mirrors feature in the cafe’s bathrooms
      Circular tables boast a variation of five coloured laminates in graphic shapes and framed photographs of iconic fashion models from the decade embellish the walls.
      Tables sit alongside two comfortable tan leather banquettes that face the main bar, making use of the small but open space to create a sociable atmosphere.

      90s nostalgia is emphasised by photographs from the decade
      All of Caffettiera Caffé Bar’s available space offers a chance for customer interaction. The banquettes intersect at a self-service station, behind which a backlit planter is enhanced by the mirrors’ reflection.
      “The long shared banquettes provide the option of sticking the round tables together, and since it’s linear people are actually all seated together”, explained Dworkind.

      Reupholstered vintage chairs match tan leather banquettes in the seating area

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      Curving furniture echoes the shape of the mirrors. Rounded vintage chairs sourced from classified ads have been reupholstered in the same tan leather as the banquettes.
      Continuing the cafe’s curving lines, the ceiling’s exaggerated cornicing is another retro visual element. As with the main bar and the checkerboard floor, the cornicing seamlessly blends the walls and the ceiling together.

      Dynamic blue cornicing brings the ceiling to life
      Lambert & Fils pendant lights are suspended from yellow telephone wire above the seating area, bathing the tables in a warm glow.
      Traditional Italian food products are displayed on a long shelf behind the main bar, where a selection of sandwiches and pastries are served. Cafe merchandise is also for sale.

      The products stocked on the large shelf behind the main bar
      Italian signs illustrating where to pay and order slide along an orange painted steel beam above the bar. Their locations can be rearranged by staff depending on each day’s flow of customers.
      Various 90s books, toys and stickers feature in Caffettiera Caffé Bar’s windows, and around the space, making it a wholly nostalgic experience.
      A similarly retro feel can be found at Baseball, a food court in Hong Kong designed by studio Linehouse, influenced by 70s films.
      Co-founded by Ménard and Dworkind in 2017, previous projects from the Montreal-based studio include a kitsch Chinatown-themed pan-Asian restaurant and a recreation of a 1970s New York pizza parlour.
      Photography is by David Dworkind and Alison Slattery.

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