Olympic host countries invest massive amounts of resources in order to be able to accommodate the Olympic competitions themselves as well as the sheer numbers of athletes, coaches, support staff and spectators who flock to the host city.
Architects and city planners are charged with designing spectacular architectural wonders that must also provide for the very specific, demanding functions of the sporting competitions taking place within.
Long after a season of Olympic games have concluded, a host cityâs Olympic facilities then become a part of the natural fabric of that city. Often located at critical points on a cityâs grid, and seen as an opportunity for the host city to show off its architectural character and muscle, Olympic facilities then need to find a new function and new identity post-games.

Montréal Tower in Montréal, Canada, is one such place. A multipurpose stadium designed by French architect Roger Taillibert and built to host training spaces for the 1976 Summer Olympics, Montréal Tower had sat unoccupied since 1987.

Desjardins Group, one of the largest financial institutions in Quebec and in North America, has its offices in Montréal. Occupying three different spaces in an older building in an east Montréal neighborhood, with closed-off clusters of work spaces and little daylight, it sought a new, more comfortable and modern space for its employees. Company leadership conducted a survey to figure out where their employees were commuting into work from. Their existing office location proved to be beneficial to most employees, and so they set about looking at options in their neighborhood.
Located in the same neighborhood as Desjardinsâ old offices, and on the market for the right price, MontrĂ©al Tower was selected to become the new home for Desjardinsâ call and administrative centers â the siteâs first tenant for the next 15 years. Occupying seven of the twelve floors and representing 80% of available rental space, Desjardins would serve as a commanding presence in the neighborhood. Provencher_Roy was selected to lead architecture and interior design for the project.

Renovations began in 2015, starting with replacement of the original prefabricated concrete envelope with a curtain wall allowing abundant transparency and natural daylight to stream in. The towerâs mechanical systems were all renovated to bring them up to code and standards.
âThe thousand employees of the financial institution now enjoy those modern workspaces, bathed in natural light,â noted project details. âThe biggest challenge was undoubtedly the stripping of the towerâs prefabricated concrete panels to make way for the transparency afforded by a glass curtain wall covering 60% of the façade â an essential element in creating a pleasant work environment. In addition to exposing the spectacular structure of the architectural icon, the approach also brings the tower to life and gives it a new energy.â
The interiors of the project look to both symbolic and modern intentions.


From project notes: âIn addition to ensuring a work environment that encourages exchanges and creativity, the main purpose of the adopted concept was to symbolize the history of the tower. The remarkable space offered by the seven floors of this QuĂ©bec architectural symbol is now enhanced by a design adapted to the organic forms of the stadium, being able to offer all employees a stimulating and cooperative work environment. Several historical references to the first vocation of the stadium are found within the different areas. Among them, the ceilingâs poppy-shaped details in the waiting area reminds us of the old orange roof canvas, as seen before when inside.â
âThe design side of things was made complicated because of the shape of the building,â said Richard Noel, Partner at Provencher_Roy, in an officeinsight interview. âIt looks like a spaceship, with its triangular, curved sides. Since everything is angled the way it is, we had to think carefully about how to locate stairways and common lobbies.â
âAnd with 20 foot ceilings, the space was not at all created as office space,â he continued. âWe needed to spend considerable time and resources converting it to be able to accommodate office space. Desjardins were locating its call center here, and so it was especially difficult to fit the density of workstations they needed into such an uncommon floor plate. And we worked closely with a lighting consultant to bring all of the space down to a human scale.â

From project notes: âThe place is articulated as a working tool, with the ultramodern offices incorporating the latest technological equipment in order to attract and meet the needs of employees aged 25 to 35. The lounges, entertainment areas, coffee counters and multifunctional rooms were designed specifically for a young and active clientele. The streamlined and the contemporary styles of itsâ interior design creates for Desjardins employees a strong sense of belonging, transforming the development of a âworkplaceâ into a real âliving spaceâ.â
âFrom inside out, the impressive concrete structure was highlighted by the neutral hues of the surfaces. The spacious and bright rooms now have a pale gray and marbled floor. The windows are unobstructed to allow the creation of an architectural promenade offering employees a magnificent view of the stadium and the city. Spaces of collaboration and relaxation were also arranged along the imposing glass walls.â
All open office workstations were given priority access to natural light, while the interior core holds spaces for collaborative functions.
In the open office, two tones of grey carpet the ground below workstations of natural metal frames and white desks. While employees wonât be distracted by any huge splashes of color on the call center floor, the lobby areas are washed in Desjardinsâ corporate green and feature pops of colorful furnishings. Oversize black and white photographs from the 1976 Olympic games blanket walls in the public zones.


âWe tried to keep that history, and the culture and connection to the buildingâs past, in focus,â said Mr. Noel.
In addition to expansive dining options, including a custom software program that enables employees to order their food for the week ahead of time, Desjardins employees have access to a full-service onsite sports club, complete with pools, fitness classes, and anything else a fitness-nut could want.

Another eccentricity of the tower is its funicular railway â a functioning railway that moves people up its steep slope to its peak. The railway comes out from the buildingâs base, and so Provencher_Roy worked on sound-proofing around the base to protect work zones from unwanted noise.
Desjardins Group began moving employees into the new offices at MontrĂ©al Tower during the summer of 2018 â the beginning of a fresh start for a structure that speaks concurrently to the past and to the future.
