A Century-old Factory reborn as a Hybrid Gallery–Café blending Contemporary Art, Community, and Industrial Memory

In Montreal’s Mile-Ex district, a century-old factory has been transformed into FOIL Gallery, a new cultural hub that merges contemporary art with the rhythms of everyday life. Founded by artists Fvckrender and Baeige, the hybrid gallery–café was designed by Atelier L’Abri, which revitalized two long-vacant units within a historic industrial building while preserving its architectural and material legacy.

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

opening
Photo credit: atelier l'abri

The building, constructed in the 1910s, originally served as an ammunition factory for Canadian Explosives Limited during World War I and later employed women workers during World War II. Its distinctive sawtooth roof, massive timber trusses, and exposed concrete structure remain central elements of early industrial architecture in the Marconi–Alexandra sector. Once threatened by demolition, the structure gained new relevance alongside the recent redevelopment of Parc des Gorilles, a public park created through a grassroots effort to protect the former rail corridor.

construction
Photo credit: atelier l'abri

construction
Photo credit: atelier l'abri

L’Abri’s intervention emphasizes the building’s raw character. Painted-over beams, wooden ceilings, and structural concrete were sandblasted back to their natural tones, while the original slab floor retains more than a century of wear. New skylights reopen the sawtooth roof to natural daylight, restoring the building’s spatial dynamism.

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

At the core of the gallery, a hand-brushed metal cube organizes circulation and houses private functions without obscuring the historic framework. Surrounding white acoustic walls offer flexible exhibition surfaces, creating a crisp contrast with the preserved textures. The project highlights an approach rooted in material restraint, heritage reuse, and contextual coherence—demonstrating how industrial buildings can be sustainably adapted for contemporary cultural needs.

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Facing the park, a bright café welcomes visitors through a full-height glass garage door. Its curved microcement counter and custom furniture by local designers add warmth to the industrial shell. A projection room in the rear supports film, digital art, and immersive events, extending the gallery’s programming.

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

FOIL offers more than an exhibition venue; it fosters a multisensory cultural experience. Works by the founders anchor a rotating roster of contemporary artists including J3000, Vincent Tsang, Andrea Wilkin, Victor Mosquera, and Zoë Winters. A restored 1970 Porsche Targa serves as a sculptural centerpiece, blurring the boundaries between art, design, and cultural history. A curated soundscape, signature fragrance, and locally crafted food and coffee deepen the immersive environment.

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

The gallery also functions as a community platform, hosting screenings, launches, and AM:PLIFIED—its monthly morning DJ event. Positioned at the intersection of contemporary practice and neighbourhood life, FOIL aims to redefine what a gallery can be: an open, evolving creative laboratory rooted in its surroundings.

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

Photo credit: Alex Lesage

With quiet confidence, FOIL emerges as a new cultural voice in Montreal—reviving a historic factory as a living intersection of art, memory, and community.

Atelier L'Abri

Atelier L'Abri is an architecture office based in Montreal. The young team received the 2025 Emerging Architecture Prize from the Quebec Order of Architects, as well as the 2024 awards for Small Firm of the Year at the Architecture Master Prize and Best Young Firm at the A+Awards.

The workshop specializes in ecological, healthy, and sustainable construction. It advocates for innovative architecture solutions, putting forward wellness and the human and social character of our environments. L’Abri's designs are timeless, uniquely crafted, and at the human scale.