The outcome of an architectural competition, the Fasken project aims to provide an exceptional experience to the employees and clients of this large law firm, in addition to integrating into the design a collection of more than 500 works of art. Tour de la Bourse, designed by the architect Luigi Moretti and the engineer Pier Luigi Nervi, was the tallest concrete building in the world at its inauguration. NEUF’s design was developed around the creation of a vertical link between the five storeys occupied by the Fasken offices.
This link takes the form of a monumental staircase, the result of an in-depth analysis of traffic flows. This study also made it possible to define the private and public areas, as well as the choice of materials and the development of signage. The initial concept involved removing partitions from the spaces and the existing staircases, which were narrow and non-contiguous, in order to create a single path of movement and synergy between the offices. The backbone of the project, the staircase unfolds like a sheet of paper to provide fluid circulation between the floors which are now open and luminous.
It constitutes a city-wide landmark at the heart of Montréal, and when illuminated at night is visible from a distance. The surrounding programs are organized as collaborative spaces at the centre and areas of concentration on the outskirts, the latter thus separated from commotion and comings and goings.