London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 13, 2026

Linebox Transforms Historic Montréal Building into a Modern Office

Linebox Transforms Historic Montréal Building into a Modern Office

Nestled between the Lachine Canal and the St. Lawrence River, Montréal’s urban Pointe-Sainte-Charles neighborhood reflects the city’s industrial past while housing modern businesses, such as GSoft, a locally founded software development company now situated in the historic Nordélec building.

            

The GSoft office offers contemporary sensibilities in a classic industrial build. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

In order to create a cohesive environment that captures the values of GSoft’s young workforce while respecting the building’s original 1913 structure, the company worked with contemporary architecture firm Linebox for more than two years to bring their vision to life.

            

A small skateboarding ramp encourages movement at work. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

Skateboard wheels cruising over pavement have become a recent staple of Montréal’s natural soundscape and is extended into the GSoft office. Renaud Balandras and Josée Anne Pronovost, the project’s respective interior designer and architect, planned the office such that transitional spaces are wide enough for employees to comfortably walk, scooter, or skateboard through. Located in the mezzanine of the Nordélec building, newly revealed skylights from the expansive factory ceilings allow ample sunlight to stream into the 70,000-square-foot office.

            

An auditorium with a 200 person capacity is used for presentations and group learning sessions. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

Given the cold winters and early sunsets in Montréal, Balandras designed thematically organized zones in the office that exude warmth and energy to combat winter blues. “Our mission was to make a very nice space to work in,” says Balandras, explaining the overall goal of creating an office that employees look forward to coming to each day. The new GSoft office does exactly that, fostering a feeling of community for the whole team.

            

A desert plants create a sense of warmth in the space during cold winter months. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

            

A meeting room features an ode to arguably the city's favorite sport-hockey. Photography by Calude-Simon Langlois.

            

Private meeting rooms look into the open GCafé communal dining area. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

            

Large round windows throughout the office ease visual communication. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

            

A communal area inspired by summertime patios. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

            

Original red brick and decorative Montréal Metro accessories in a conference room. Photography by Claude-Simon Langois.

            

A lounge with plush furnishings overlooks GCafé. Photography by Claude-Simon Langlois.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China’s Kimi Launches AI-Focused Credit Card With Agricultural Bank of China and American Express
UK Residents Gather to Watch Rare Partial Solar Eclipse
Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice Faces Criticism Over Legal Threat Against Guardian Journalist
Michael Forsyth Elected Speaker of the House of Lords
Cambridge Researchers Launch £20 Million Human Organoid Drug Testing Programme
Heathrow Loses European Passenger Traffic Lead to Istanbul Airport
Households Near New UK Electricity Pylons to Receive £250 Annual Energy Bill Discount
UK Government Estimates Zero-Hours Contract Ban Could Cost Employers Up to £3 Billion a Year
Robert Jenrick Leaves Conservatives for Reform UK in Major Parliamentary Defection
UK Police Chiefs Urge Government to Block Early Release of Andrew Harper Killers
UK Government Holds Emergency Cobra Meeting as Drought and Heatwave Raise Wildfire Risks
Former Labour Adviser Arrested on Suspicion of Spying for China Held Privileged Access as Top Party Donor
Turkish Parliament Passes Landmark Bill Granting Conditional Amnesty to Disarmed PKK Members
Donald Trump Warns FIFA Against Ousting Gianni Infantino Amid Revolt by Global Football Leaders
Jeff Bezos Joins Investor Group Closing In on $6 Billion Liverpool FC Stake
Police Conduct Cross-Border Raids Against Northern England Drug Network
Nicola Sturgeon Protested at Edinburgh Festival Fringe Event
Major UK Retail Chain Enters Administration With One Hundred Fifty-Four Stores Set to Close
Heathrow Renews Call for Runway Expansion After Losing Europe’s Busiest Airport Ranking
Government Condemns One Million Pound Thames Water Executive Bonus Amid Drought
NHS England Says More Than One Hundred Thousand Hepatitis C Patients Have Been Cured
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband Calls for End to West Bank Settler Violence
UK Prepares for Deepest Partial Solar Eclipse Since Nineteen Ninety-Nine
UK Heatwave Triggers Amber Health Alerts as Economic Losses Reach Four Point Four Billion Pounds
UK Offers Electricity Bill Discounts to Communities Hosting New Power Infrastructure
Bank of England Expected to Hold Interest Rates at Three Point Seven Five Percent
UK Government Moves to Ban Subscription Traps and Misleading Retail Discounts
Andy Burnham Gives Councils New Powers to Block Betting and Vape Shops
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Nicola Sturgeon Says She Has No Contact With Estranged Husband After SNP Embezzlement Case
Police Arrest Two Men After Aberdeenshire Defense Technology Office Break-In
Greater Manchester Councils Gain Powers to Restrict New Vape and Betting Shops
Coroner Finds Treasury Workplace Failures Contributed to Personal Assistant’s Suicide
English and Welsh Courts Ban Meta Smart Glasses Over Recording and Privacy Risks
Strait of Hormuz Disruption Could Double UK Inflation and Trigger Recession, Forecasters Warn
UK Expands Global Talent Visa Scheme to Support Research-Intensive Companies
UK Equity Funds Suffer Record One Point Six Billion Pound Outflow Amid Capital Gains Tax Fears
Three-Quarters of England Enters Drought as Fifth Summer Heatwave Raises Economic Risks
UK Hiring Stabilizes for First Time Since 2022 as Employers Adjust to Higher Payroll Costs
UK Chancellor Orders Whitehall Spending Cuts as Public Debt Exceeds Three Trillion Pounds
UK Manufacturing Output Records Fourth Straight Month of Growth
UK Condemns Russian Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners and Recruitment of Foreign Nationals
Long-Lost Royal Navy Warship HMS Tiger Found in English Channel After 118 Years
Northern Ireland Finance Minister Seeks Urgent Treasury Talks Over Regional Budget Pressures
UK Government Targets Subscription Traps and Misleading Discounts in New Consumer Rules
Alleged Cartel Boss Daniel Kinahan Extradited From Dubai to Face Criminal Charges
AI Chatbots Challenge Traditional News Consumption and Raise Job Concerns
Andy Burnham Government Promises Crackdown on Exploitative Business Practices
UK University Funding Model Faces Growing Pressure From Unsustainable Student Debt
Government Urged to Subsidise Energy Bills for Vulnerable UK Households
×