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Lighting up a new showroom
Artopex, one of the biggest office furniture manu-
facturers in Quebec, recently unveiled its new
showroom in the heart of Old Montreal. In col-
laboration with Lemay, the multidisciplinary firm
responsible for the interior design, LumiGroup
created the lighting for the space, which had been
vacant for 25 years. Located in the basement of the
former Royal Bank of Canada, the showroom was
presented with a formidable lighting challenge - the
almost total absence of natural light.
The objective was to create various lighting
moods – while highlighting subtle, tailored intensity
variations and contrasts – rather than the general
diffuse lighting commonly used in showrooms.The
showcased products benefit from a high source of
light while adjacent spaces are treated with softer
lighting.
A continuous ribbon, showing images of Que-
bec’s territory, guides clients through each section
of the showroom, illustrating the story and history
of Artopex. LumiGroup, supporting this narrative
and graphic frame, opted for fluorescent lighting,
of asymmetrical type using linear devices arranged
on the ceiling to bathe the walls in light from top to
bottom. The brightness of the wall lighting makes
up for the lack of windows.
The sample room and the adjacent conference
room are equipped with Petal pendant lights from
Luce Plan, designed by the French architect Odile
Decq. These large white fabric-coated rings soften
the glass and concrete space with their acoustic
properties. The stone foundations of the original
building were stripped and then enhanced by a
system of LED lighting, hidden on the ceiling for a
theatrical and dramatic effect.
Lemay’s staging and LumiGroup’s lighting have
created a beautiful refined effect, consisting of
games of shadows and lights and contrasting
atmospheres.