Provencher_Roy designed a dramatic intervention at the facade that adapts the building to its new purpose while preserving its heritage. The cost-effective design delivers transformative impact with surgical changes, making a white elephant into a high-performing asset that brought Desjardins Group—a major economic engine—to the city. The biggest challenge was the lack of natural light. The envelope was primarily precast concrete panels pierced with thin vertical windows. Provencher_Roy stripped 60% of this facade, replacing it with a glass curtain wall.

Spandrel glass conceals the structure between floors to make the curtain wall appear seamless while emphasizing the building's expressive taper. Inside, the renovation adapts the idiosyncratic three-sided floors into contemporary workspaces. The two long facades were glazed to bring in light and open commanding views. The now-exposed splayed columns form an "architectural promenade" filled with informal seating and collaboration tables. Workstations occupy an open plan anchored by central meeting rooms and amenity spaces.

Throughout, references—like a faceted lobby ceiling that recalls the original design—honor the tower's history. The project sustains the tower’s heritage while amplifying its place in Montréal’s cityscape and collective imagination. The once-forgotten tower now stands as a testament to the city’s ingenuity, cultural legacy, and identity.