It is the latest landmark on Montreal’s gourmet landscape, Canada. Opening just ahead of the holidays, the custom chocolate boutique invites the locals to immerse themselves in the sweetness and comfort chocolate brings. Les Chocolats de Chloé invites children and adults to revive their childhood memories and stock up for the holidays, both for themselves and the presents for others. But the chocolate boutique is not a single-season attraction. The ADHOC interior design and architecture firm made sure to create a versatile space that provides a year-round experience. In collaboration with maubau and Eliova construction, ADHOC conveyed the chocolateers’ artisanal process into a unique visual language.
Four stages of chocolate manufacturing
The central point of the design is squares that cover the walls, symbolising the box with artisanal ganache. The modular square grid draws inspiration from the process of “moulding“, in which ganache is split in moulds to create many pieces of chocolate. The grid is constructed of lacquered metal, embedded into a tailor-made surface, which provides a place for hanging tools, shelves, and ornaments. The flexibility and modularity of the design allow for a clean, refined look. The next phase is inspired by “slicing“, which refers to splitting the ganache into identical pieces, allowing the precision of the artisans to shine. The flexibility of the grids allows the owners to adapt the layout according to their needs. Highlighting a new collection or theme is easy with just a few adjustments.
The next stage in the chocolate-making process is known as “enrobing”. Enrobing includes coating ganaches with a thin layer of chocolate that protects and softens the pieces. To achieve that effect, the designers had used a neutral display in red, which creates a stark contrast with the interior dominated by blue shades. The subtle exterior of the main counter reinforces the sensory dimension. The warm contrast of the square pattern and red accents creates a warm, playful identity typical of the process of enrobing. At the end, chocolate has to be “decorated”, and the same goes for our shop. Just like the decorating makes every chocolate unique, the tubular suspended lighting structure embellishes the shop. With added signs in bold colour accent and lettering, it echoes the graphic language of the brand, enticing the imagination of its customers.
Collaborating their way to greatness
Speaking of customers, they move through a guided route carefully designed to let them explore the shop to the fullest. Apart from creating the necessary separation, the counter space highlights the brand’s trademark sweet creation. The kitchen is separated with large glass separators, thus showcasing the production process while maintaining hygiene and the workflow. Branding studio maubau had developed the concept of the store through exchange with the owner and her team. Chloé unveiled her artisanal process and inspiration to the design team, which converted these elements into a highly personalised space.
The design was turned into reality by the ADHOC architecture firm, founded in 2014 in Montreal. With over 40 employees from the fields of interior and urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture, the company is known for contextualising every project to create identity-rich architectural and design wonders.
Project info:
Project title: Les Chocolats de Chloé
Location: 546 Av. Duluth E, Montréal, Quebec
Client: Chloé Gervais-Fredette
Architects and Interior Designer: ADHOC
Collaborator: maubau et Mesure lab
General Contractor: Eliova construction
Project Completion Date: 2024
Photo credit: Vicky Rousseau
Source: v2com-newswire
