In the news

Mathias Krobath and Vanessa Bastien led this month’s internal session on building envelope commissioning.

Every month, members of our team host a lunch & learn to share their expertise with colleagues.

This month, Mathias Krobath and Vanessa Bastien presented on building envelope commissioning: the process of verifying that the envelope is designed, installed, and performing as intended. The session covered three themes at the core of our practice:

• Building envelope: the systems and assemblies that separate interior and exterior environments
• Performance: how commissioning confirms air tightness, water resistance, and thermal continuity
• Durability: why early verification extends the service life of a building and reduces long-term maintenance costs

These sessions reflect our conviction that architecture and building science go hand in hand, and that sharing knowledge internally strengthens every project we deliver.

Want to learn with us?

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Built in 1915-1916 for Charles Wesley MacLean to designs by architect Robert Findlay, this villa — formerly known as "Mull Hall" — takes its name from the Isle of Mull, ancestral home of the Scottish MacLean clan. Acquired by the Fathers of the Holy Cross in 1940, the property was later transferred to the City of Pointe-Claire in 1958 by May Beatrice Stewart and Walter Moncrief Stewart. Converted into a cultural centre in 1963, it remains a cornerstone of the local cultural scene today.

Distinguished by its symmetrical architecture, limestone walls, and veranda overlooking Lake Saint-Louis, the building required extensive envelope renovations: foundations, balconies, stairs, and the portico, along with resolving basement water infiltration issues.

Our intervention included foundation waterproofing, French drain repairs, and preliminary studies (soil analysis, archaeological potential assessment) that accounted for the site's heritage character. Priority was given to restoring original elements — and, where necessary, faithfully reproducing them — while optimizing envelope durability and responsible materials management.

The project was carried out in coordination with relevant professionals and in compliance with municipal requirements.

Montreal has many large-scale buildings from the 1970s whose envelopes are now reaching the end of their useful life. Place Dorchester is an emblematic example.

Pluriel Architecture et science du bâtiment is proud to lead the complete envelope restoration of this 25-storey brutalist building located at the corner of St-Mathieu and René-Lévesque, all while keeping residents in occupancy. The mandate includes the heritage study, plans and specifications, permit application, site supervision, and concrete facade restoration.

The new high-performance components will improve the building's performance and residents' comfort.

The Estoril project, located at the corner of Eddy and Vaudreuil streets in the Hull sector of Gatineau, is now complete! This 6-story, 60-unit building, built by Boless for the Office d'Habitation de l'Outaouais, contributes to increasing the housing supply for the Ottawa/Gatineau region. Preserving the name and certain architectural references of the bakery that previously occupied the site, l'Estoril fits contemporarily into this section of Eddy Street currently undergoing revitalization, while respecting the neighborhood's historic character.

Theproject at 295 Saint-René Est Boulevard in Gatineau is now complete! This135-unit building for the Office d'Habitation de l'Outaouais (OHO) comes tolife with its black and terracotta clay brick, fiber cement panels, andaluminum panels in varying shades of gray, creating a dynamic and accessiblefaçade. Delivered in 2025, this Novoclimat-certified project fits perfectlywithin its transit-oriented context, facing the Rapibus Labrosse station.

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The combined studio now operates under the Pluriel name across Quebec, Ontario, the Maritimes and Florida, with both leadership teams staying on and no change to in-progress project assignments.

The merger reflects a shared conviction that architecture and building science should not be separate disciplines. By integrating envelope performance analysis into design from the first sketch, the studio delivers buildings that are durable, efficient, and precisely detailed.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia complete the Maritime coverage, joining registrations already held in Quebec, Ontario and Florida.

Cross-border licensure means a client expanding into a new market keeps the same team, the same technical standards, and the same documentation approach rather than restarting with an unfamiliar local firm.