UAP Montreal head office

Lemay

Short description

Faced with a new hybrid work model, United Auto Parts (UAP) took the opportunity to breathe new life into its Montreal headquarters to better adapt to the needs of its employees. Now a completely revitalized campus-style office, it encourages greater synergy between teams while still providing areas for concentration and solo work.
Through sustainable strategies, the UAP headquarters is the first office building in Quebec to achieve a ZCB-Design v3 certification from the Canada Green Building Council. The building has reduced its overall energy consumption by 34% via environmentally friendly choices in lighting, heating and air conditioning, as well as passive and bioclimatic, circular and net-zero design approaches. Located in a historic industrial district of Montreal, this innovative adaptation is a convincing example of what can be achieved in terms of carbon neutrality with the repurposing of ageing patrimonial buildings.
A skylight running from one end of the building to the other bathes a double storey central atrium with natural light, itself spilling into all adjoining open spaces, for the well-being of employees.
On the outside, the structure boasts a distinctive design with international resonance. Its three-dimensional façade design pays homage to the history and context of this industrial site, with rounded lines and articulations reminiscent of an automobile’s bodywork. An automatic roof system that allows warm air to escape and cool air to return is one of the added inspiring features.
This conversion marks a major architectural shift in this historic industrial district of Montreal, once known as the ‘Pittsburgh of Canada’. Above all, the building’s distinctive architecture invites visitors to discover the company’s innovative and eco-responsible culture.