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CLASSIC MEETS CONTEMPORARY HOLT RENFREW OGILVY MAKES A GRAND STATEMENT IN MONTRÉAL A GRAND REPRISE Holt Renfrew debuts an expansive renovation and restoration in a historic Montréal building once occupied by Ogilvy.

By Carly Hagedon, Managing Editor FREDERIC BROUCHARD, BROUCHARD, FREDERIC A GRAND REPRISE

In 1912, storied Canadian department store Ogilvy debuted a flagship with a dramatic Romanesque Revival exterior on the cor- ner of Montréal’s Saint-Catherine Street West and Rue de la Montagne, a mod- ern architectural marvel of its time. The Ogilvy brand was purchased by London- based Group in 2011, and more than 100 years since the flagship originally opened, Holt Renfrew, also owned by Self- ridges Group, acquired the historic corner property, keeping the Ogilvy moniker for the location to become Holt Renfrew Ogilvy. New York-based Jeffrey Hutchison & Associates was charged with modernizing the interior while respecting Holt Renfrew’s luxury status and retaining the original

VMSD.COM | MARCH 2021 13 A GRAND REPRISE

ABOVE Fifty- intent of the historic Ogilvy design – or During the design process, a development structure is actually one of the most seven steel as Jeffrey Hutchison, President, puts it, next door – which includes a Four Seasons important parts of the building’s history, columns were clad in fiber- his firm had to reimagine the store as the hotel and a high-end residential tower – had and we wanted to celebrate that and not reinforced “modern grande dame of Rue Catherine.” space available for Holt Renfrew to spill into, disguise or hide it,” Hutchison says. “Pur- polymer Ensuring the new, modern design adding 40,000 square feet to the project and posely, where we could, we tried to leave material to give them an respected the site’s heritage as a local cul- bringing the total square footage to 250,000. them as a design feature. That creates octagonal tural landmark was imperative, so the team (A connection between the men’s level on a certain rhythm of the space, a certain shape. spent hours examining old photographs the fourth floor conveniently leads to the organization.” of the space in order to get a sense of its Four Seasons lobby.) “It really became a Designers clad the columns in fiber rein- original aesthetic. The new aims to com- part of this bigger development of the entire forced polymer (FRP) material to make plement the old with wide aisles, expansive block,” says Hutchison, “which gave it much them an octagonal shape and carried the windows and a range of sophisticated and more depth and dynamic character.” same design through each floor, provid- tactile materials like cream terrazzo, gray Structurally, the design team had to ing a level of visual consistency. “They feel stone, bleached oak wood floors, brushed contend with the 57 internal steel columns proportional, like spatial objects instead of brass and satin nickel. spaced every 20 feet on each floor. “The impediments in the space,” says Hutchison.

14 MARCH 2021 | VMSD.COM PROJECT SUPPLIERS

RETAILER Holt Renfrew,

DESIGN Jeffrey Hutchison & Associates, New York Holt Renfrew, Toronto

LIGHTING CONSULTANTS Cooley Monato Studio, New York

FIXTURES Norclair, Montréal JP Metal, Montréal

FLOORING Creative Matters, Toronto Fabrica, San Diego Ciot, Montréal Stone Tile, Montréal

LIGHTING Amerlux, Oakland, N.J. Sistemalux Inc., Montréal Juno Lighting, Des Plaines, Ill. Traxon, Hong Kong ConTech Lighting, Northbrook, Ill. Eklipse, Montréal

WALLCOVERINGS/MATERIALS De Gourney, London JAB, Germany Phillip Jeffries, N.J.

FURNITURE Louis Interiors, Toronto DWR, Toronto Estel, Italy Gubi, Denmark Lawson Fenning, Los Angeles Develius, Denmark Vuelta, Austria Avenue Road, Toronto

GENERAL CONTRACTOR Reliance Construction, Montréal

ARCHITECT OF RECORD Lemay Architect, Montréal

STRUCTURAL NCK Engineers, Montréal

MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL PLUMBING (MEP) ABOVE Once known as BPA Engineers, Montréal To further amplify the visual consis- amount of natural light. Now, most floors the “Store of Light,” great tency between departments, a “ribbon” feature between 13- and 18-foot-long win- measures were taken to wall surrounds the perimeter of each floor, dows overlooking the Montréal cityscape. ensure windows remained unobscured. allowing brands to feature their own mate- “The biggest challenge was the existing rials without hindering the store design, structure,” says Hutchison. “Montréal is in keeping a balance between brands’ own an earthquake zone, and we had to upgrade designs and the store’s overall look and the structure to meet current earthquake feel. codes, while at the same time preserving In decades past, this locale was dubbed the effective retail space, while construct- the “Store of Light,” because of its “loft-like” ing the store in multiple phases. We didn’t interior, according to Hutchison. Over the want any of the earthquake structure that years, windows in the space were closed we had to add to impact those windows.” up, so to channel the days of old, the team Other notable feats included adding made sure the design allowed for as many a decorative staircase that connects the windows as possible to let in the maximum main floor with the store’s Beauty Hall on A GRAND REPRISE

its concourse level; the stairs connecting the second and third floors were renovated. “Once you arrive on a floor, you have this completely open vista from one side to the other, and you immediately feel a sense of openness, space and light,” Hutchison explains. The Ogilvy store also boasts Holt Ren- frew’s personal shopper experience situ- ated on the fifth floor. One area called “The Apartment,” is a luxury suite – formerly the Ogilvy boardroom and president’s office – that includes a living room, dining room and fitting room. (The full personal shopper experience features five fitting room suites.) “You have this juxtaposition of the new, modern personal shopper suites and the historic, readorned, classic part,” explains Hutchison. As is the case with many department store projects, Holt Renfrew Ogilvy opted to remain open during construction, the final phases of which were completed in June 2020. In the end, it’s safe to say the modern grande dame of Rue Catherine has made her resplendent re-entrance in Montréal.

16 MARCH 2021 | VMSD.COM