Griffin Square: Redefining Urban Living in the Heart of Montreal

Positioned at the lively intersection of Peel and Ottawa streets, Griffin Square stands as a landmark development in Griffintown, one of Montreal’s fastest-growing districts. The site itself is highly strategic—Ottawa Street is evolving into a hub of culture and commerce, while Peel Street functions as a vital entryway into the city. Facing one of the few future green spaces in the area, the project is uniquely situated to shape both the skyline and the pedestrian experience of this transforming neighborhood.

A Bold Yet Contextual Presence

The design concept centers on two residential towers articulated as distinct yet complementary forms. Rather than adopting a monolithic massing, the architects employed a fragmented volumetric strategy, allowing the towers to assert a strong urban identity while remaining sensitive to the heterogeneity of their context. This approach balances visual clarity with measured restraint—qualities that set Griffin Square apart within Montreal’s rapidly densifying core.

Lead designer Maxime Frappier describes the intent as creating architecture that is “confident yet respectful”—an intervention that contributes meaningfully to the city without overpowering its surroundings.

Dialogue Between Lightness and Solidity

Materiality plays a central role in defining the project’s character. The façades along the streets are clad in dark, muted tones that ground the towers, providing a calm counterpoint to the already complex streetscape. In contrast, the inner façades facing the courtyard and narrower streets adopt lighter hues, introducing openness and brightness while maximizing natural daylight. This deliberate interplay of tones creates a dual personality—solid and anchored on the exterior, yet welcoming and airy within.

The façade overlooking the planned park enjoys a significant setback, making it visible not only to pedestrians but also from elevated viewpoints across the downtown core. To emphasize this condition, the architects envisioned the façade as a visual landmark. Staggered balconies rhythmically arranged across the surface generate a pictorial quality, enhanced by stainless steel bands that reflect subtle changes in natural light throughout the day. A bold, reflective frame encloses the composition, heightening its visibility and presenting it as a kind of urban artwork.

Architecture as a Fifth Elevation

The staggered balconies not only animate the exterior but also transform the tower into what the architects call a “fifth elevation.” From the street, shifting angles and layered perspectives give the building a dynamic presence, turning an otherwise private residential façade into a civic gesture that enlivens the public realm. This focus on the sidewalk experience demonstrates the project’s commitment to urban life at multiple scales.

Connectivity at the Core

The two towers, rising to 16 and 19 stories, are joined by a striking glazed skybridge suspended above a commercial plaza. This plaza opens Peel Street to new pedestrian activity, while the bridge provides residents with seamless access to shared amenities. Unlike many urban high-rises where common spaces are tucked away on rooftops, Griffin Square places them at the second floor—facing the park and engaging with the surrounding neighborhood.

This decision anchors the building within its social context, turning interior spaces into extensions of the city rather than isolated private zones.

Lifestyle-Oriented Amenities

Inside, residents enjoy an extensive suite of common areas tailored to contemporary living. These include co-working environments, lounges, a community kitchen, fitness and yoga studios, and flexible gathering spaces. All of these open onto a landscaped two-level terrace, where greenery and outdoor seating provide moments of calm within the dense urban fabric. A long swimming pool with generous lounging areas transforms this terrace into a genuine urban retreat.

Higher up, a rooftop terrace crowns the project, offering sweeping views of Montreal’s skyline—a rare amenity that enhances both quality of life and sense of belonging for residents.

Inclusive Living in the City

Griffin Square accommodates 409 rental units, ranging from compact studios to spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as premium penthouses. This variety supports a diverse community, welcoming everyone from young professionals and small families to retirees. By offering multiple housing types, the development fosters inclusivity and encourages a lively, intergenerational atmosphere where different lifestyles coexist.

Frappier emphasizes that the goal was never to design “just another rental complex,” but rather to create everyday architecture—a living environment rooted in connection, openness, and shared experience.

Building a Shared Future

At its core, Griffin Square is about connection: connecting residents to each other, connecting the building to its neighborhood, and connecting the project to the broader scale of the city. It serves as a bridge between the evolving human scale of Griffintown and the larger metropolitan identity of Montreal.

Developed through a collaboration between Mondev and Hillpark Capital, Griffin Square demonstrates how urban vision, architectural quality, and economic feasibility can align to create meaningful contributions to city life. More than a housing project, it is a statement about collective living in the heart of Montreal—favoring community over isolation and enriching the urban experience for generations to come.