ERE has opened in Montreal’s Cité du Multimédia, positioned at the intersection of Griffintown and Old Montreal. Occupying a 4,415 square foot ground floor corner unit within a seven storey office building, the fitness and community space is accessible from both Boulevard Robert-Bourassa and the building’s internal lobby; placing it on a very prominent corner.
Designed by IVY STUDIO with young professionals in mind, the project balances the existing industrial architecture with a refined, luxury-led sensibility. The original building envelope has been retained and revealed, with exposed concrete floors, metal ventilation ducts, and expansive glazing forming a clean, utilitarian backdrop. Against this, softer architectural gestures and a carefully considered material palette introduce warmth and visual contrast.
The reception area is conceived as an open, gallery-like volume. Flat square light panels hang in a precise grid, reinforcing the space’s ordered clarity, while a sculptural stainless steel reception desk sits at an angle, subtly directing circulation. Glass, mirror, and concrete surfaces dominate the foreground, offset by walls painted in warm cream tones and punctuated with accents of baby blue, butter yellow, and terracotta.
Social spaces are concentrated along the window line, where a long red velvet banquette is paired with matching poufs and compact bleachers, creating a shared zone for members before and after classes. A juice bar sits discreetly along the back wall, finished in curved blue ceramic and positioned as a functional pause point within the layout.
Movement through the space is marked by a sequence of transition zones. An open vestibule introduces a custom U-shaped oak bench with stainless steel bases, set against a blush pink locker wall and mirrored surface. The main locker room follows as a fully immersive environment, finished entirely in light blue, from walls and lockers to doors, with two marble vanities providing tonal variation.
Three studios complete the programme, each designed as a contained environment. The spin studio accommodates 40 bikes within a dark setting activated by colour-changing LEDs synced to music. The heated strength room uses warm brown finishes and perimeter lighting to define a focused training space. The Pilates studio offers a calmer atmosphere, with 10 reformers set behind sheer curtains that filter daylight from the street.
A place where clients go raring to be challenged and uplifted, ERE is a contemporary wellness proposition for Cité du Multimédia.
ERE Studios Montreal Photography, Alex Lesage.
