Located at the corner of Peel and Ottawa streets in the heart of Griffintown, Griffin Square benefits from a strategic location facing a future park and at the crossroads of the neighborhood’s cultural and commercial hubs. Comprising two residential towers of 16 and 19 stories connected by a glazed skybridge above a commercial plaza, the project offers 409 rental units—ranging from studios to penthouses—fostering social diversity.
The architecture adopts a balanced, understated language: dark façades along the main arteries, bright white façades on the courtyard side, and a pictorial façade facing the park, animated by staggered balconies with shifting reflections. Common spaces, located on the second floor and oriented toward the park, include coworking areas, a lounge, gym, pool, and landscaped terraces, extending the vibrancy of the street.
Designed for Mondev and Hillpark Capital, Griffin Square combines density, quality of life, and urban integration in a rapidly evolving neighborhood.
Details
Located on the edge of downtown Montréal at the strategic corner of Peel and Ottawa streets, Griffin Square occupies a landmark site in Griffintown, a neighborhood in full transformation. Its unique position—facing one of the district’s few planned green spaces and at the crossroads of Ottawa Street’s cultural and commercial axis with Peel Street’s role as a major gateway to the city—offers an exceptional urban opportunity.
The project’s architecture adopts a clear and balanced language, serving as both an urban marker and a measured response to the rapid densification and architectural eclecticism that define Griffintown today. In this evolving context, Griffin Square prioritizes simplicity of form and compositional restraint.
“In a neighborhood buzzing with energy, our goal was to design architecture that asserts its presence without imposing its voice,” says Maxime Frappier, design architect for the project.
Dark façades along Peel and Ottawa streets give the building a grounded, composed presence, providing a subtle counterpoint in an already visually saturated environment. In contrast, the bright white façades facing the courtyard and Young Street bring lightness and openness, enhancing visual comfort and maximizing natural light penetration along this narrower street.
Facing the future park, the building steps back generously, making the façade visible not only from its immediate surroundings but also from elevated viewpoints across downtown. This condition called for an architectural gesture that could act as a visual landmark—almost like an urban sign—while maintaining a scale respectful of the pedestrian experience.
In response, the architects conceived a façade with a near-pictorial quality, articulated by a staggered rhythm of balconies. Stainless steel bands at the balcony edges catch and reflect subtle shifts in the sky—from vibrant sunsets to the muted tones of overcast days. A reflective frame encircles the façade like the border of a painting, reinforcing its presence and allowing the volume to stand out in the urban landscape.
The staggered balconies create dynamic, expressive perspectives from the sidewalk, giving the tower a presence so strong it can be read as a “fifth façade.” These shifting perspectives actively contribute to the street’s vibrancy—an often-overlooked dimension in high-rise design.
The two residential towers, rising 16 and 19 stories, are connected by a glazed skybridge suspended above a lively commercial plaza on Peel Street. This bridge leads to the common areas, which—rather than occupying the rooftop in the typical “urban chalet” fashion—are placed on the second floor.
Facing the park and visually connected to the public realm, these common spaces extend the street’s activity into the heart of the building, fostering a sense of belonging for residents. Griffin Square is not a passive development; it actively participates in urban life.
Indoor amenities include coworking areas, a lounge, a community kitchen, a social lounge, a gym, a yoga room, and more. These spaces open onto a landscaped terrace arranged over two levels, offering sunny, tranquil outdoor retreats. A long pool with generous lounging areas completes this urban oasis.
In addition, a panoramic rooftop terrace gives residents breathtaking views of Montréal’s skyline—a rare privilege that crowns the project’s residential experience.
Griffin Square offers 409 rental units, ranging from studios to one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as penthouses. This diversity of housing types encourages a rich, inclusive living environment, accommodating a wide range of residents—from young professionals to families and retirees—and fostering a socially vibrant community.
“We designed Griffin Square as everyday architecture—a place to live, share, and fully inhabit, not just a collection of rental units,” notes Frappier.
Bridging the human scale of the pedestrian with the more monumental scale of the city, Griffin Square presents a contemporary interpretation of collective living. Anchored in its neighborhood yet oriented toward the future, the project demonstrates how density, diversity, and quality of life can coexist in a major metropolis. Because, at heart, even in the city, we never truly stop inhabiting a village.
The project was developed for Mondev and Hillpark Capital, a collaboration that successfully aligned urban vision, architectural quality, and economic viability in the heart of a changing neighborhood.