Architecture Open Form recently completed the Pâtisserie Petit Lapin - the first pastry shop in Montreal to offer delicious treats that are gluten-free, lactose-free and without the ten priority food allergens. Situated on Victoria Avenue in Westmount, the shop occupies a small commercial space of 342 square feet in a basement with a six-foot-wide hall connecting it to its street-level entrance.
The challenge was to peak the curiosity of passers-by in order to lure them inside. To do this, Architecture Open Form, led by architect Maxime Moreau, created a series of textured surfaces, with a modular system of "softwalls" with integrated LED lights, to present the pastries, highlight the double-height entrance hall and give the space an illusion of grandeur. The "softwalls" unfold in a continuous gesture on the walls and various ceilings, leading customers in the transition between the retail entry and the downstairs counter.
The pastry shop is minimalist in decor and very bright in order to showcase the customized creations of the pastry chef and to create a visual focus that is visible from the street both during the day and at night. Suspended like a continuous work of art along the walls and ceilings between the street level and the basement, the flexible LED strips, which emit a warm white hue, are integrated into the modular system of the "softwalls"; this amazing source of light highlights the delicacy of the white textile fibre modules and renders the expression of their fluid motion even more magical. The pastries come to life as the light travels within the lines and folds of the translucent fibres.