Esther P. Boutique

This Quebec City boutique and fashion event space was originally a massive, austere bank building that clashed with its new occupation. Lemay approached the project from three perspectives: public, semipublic and commercial.

Work was done to the public-facing exterior to highlight the central portico, while new shop windows created a better balance of institutional past and commercial present. For the semi-public aspect, the existing entranceway was transformed into an airlock that opens onto the entire new boutique and its well-preserved upper floors.  The indoor commercial space pays homage to the bank’s origins through minimalist yet distinctive touches. This project transforms a heavy, austere building into a luminous, dynamic open space that adds to the urban cachet of St-Jean Street.