London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 22, 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
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target With £30 Million Community Energy Fund
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low
UK Diesel Prices Approach £2 a Litre as Global Supply Shortages Intensify
Chiltern Railways Returns to Public Ownership as UK Rail Nationalisation Advances
British Museum Faces Questions Over Peter Thiel’s Private Bayeux Tapestry Viewing
Earl Spencer Memoir Excerpts Renew Public Debate Over Diana’s Death
Liberal Democrats Gather in Brighton for Autumn Conference
Mothercare Shares Plunge as Middle East Store Closures Threaten Long-Term Solvency
Kent Police Treat Folkestone Hotel Fire as Suspicious
Caribbean Governments Advance Reparations Campaign Seeking Engagement With Britain
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
UK Competition Regulator Opens Inquiry Into McCormick-Unilever Foods Deal
Public Inquiry Into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Mental Health Failings Set to Begin
Nigel Farage Looks to US Immigration Enforcement Model for UK Border Policy
Chiltern Railways Moves Into Public Ownership
Security Review Raises Concerns Over Sensitive UK Police Data Stored on Microsoft Cloud
Burnham Government Warns of Difficult Autumn Budget as Fiscal Headroom Narrows
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
Ed Sheeran Tour Faces Backlash After Macklemore Is Removed Over Pro-Palestinian Remarks
Vandalism of Traffic Cameras Intensifies Across Parts of England
Nearly 300 Evacuated as Fire Hits Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone
King Charles Warns AI Executives About Risks From Uncontrolled Technology
Church of England Apologises for Role in Historical Forced Adoption Practices
UK Debate Over Online Speech Intensifies After Arrest Figures Draw Scrutiny
Oxfordshire Village Holds Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Nigel Farage and Richard Tice Sue National Crime Agency Over Alleged Banking Data Leaks
Apple Introduces Stricter Age Checks for UK Accounts
BBC Cash Reserves Fall 66% to £125 Million as Broadcaster Restructures
McLaren Announces £500 Million UK Investment and Plans 1,000 Jobs
Green Party Wins Historic Gorton and Denton By-Election as Labour Falls to Third
Burnham Government Prepares October Budget Under Growing Fiscal Pressure
UK Energy Suppliers Pull Fixed-Price Deals as Wholesale Markets Turn More Volatile
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Energy Shock Raises Inflation Risks
Addison Lee Founder Loses £20 Million UK Tax Tribunal Case
BrewDog Creditors Face Losses on About £190 Million of Debt
Harrods Seeks to Recover Abuse Compensation Costs From Mohamed Al Fayed’s Estate
Ed Davey Targets Reform UK as Liberal Democrat Conference Opens
Great Britain Retail Sales Rise 0.5% in August
NHS England Approves Life-Extending Treatment for Incurable Breast Cancer
Proposals to Limit NHS ADHD Diagnoses Draw Criticism From Patient Groups
Resolution Foundation Warns of Housing Cost Crunch for Low-Income UK Families
BBC Cash Reserves Fall to Decade Low as Annual Deficit Reaches £121 Million
Millisecond Software Error Triggered Major UK Air Traffic Control Disruption
Twenty Women Underwent Unnecessary Mastectomies During NHS Cancer Care
Sensitive UK Police Data Found Vulnerable to Access by Foreign Actors
British Steel Faces Renewed Pressure for a Long-Term Financial Plan
MPs Urge Government to End Thames Water Restructuring Talks With U.S. Hedge Funds
Andy Burnham Warns of Difficult UK Budget Choices as Inflation Returns to 3.1%
×