Ivy Studio creates "soothing" exotic animal clinic in brutalist Quebec bank

Canada's Ivy Studio has transformed a 1970s bank into a veterinary clinic for exotic animals in Laval, Quebec, featuring minimalist interiors and soft lighting.

The Fauna clinic occupies a standalone structure completed in a brutalist style near the waterfront, just over the Prairies River northwest of Montreal.

Consultation rooms offset from one another and fronted by sweeping walls — Consultation rooms at Fauna are offset from one another and fronted by sweeping walls

Ivy Studio leaned into the building's existing style to inform the interiors, creating a calm, minimalist environment for the patients and their handlers.

"By celebrating its historical shell, Fauna establishes a unique dialogue between imposing institutional architecture and the compassionate, soothing nature of veterinary care," the studio said.

A staggered walnut reception counter within a veterinary clinic — The staggered motif is also applied to the walnut reception counter

The building spans 380 square metres over two levels, with the public areas and treatment facilities housed across the ground floor.

Boasting 16-foot (4.9-metre) ceilings, the reception and waiting areas maximise natural light from the building's existing windows.

Vet clinic with tall, coffered ceiling and dramatic architectural features — The building's tall, coffered ceilings allow for dramatic architectural features

The original concrete coffered ceiling is left exposed and painted a deep brown, contrasting concrete flooring and the warm grey of the textured plaster walls.

Facing the waiting area, the four consultation rooms are arranged in an offset row through the centre of the plan.

Fluted glass doors slide open to vet consultation rooms — Fluted glass doors slide open to the consultation rooms

Each is faced with a curved wall that sweeps up to the tall ceiling, mimicking the building's exterior, and is also denoted by vertical partitions with stepped end-profile details.

"This dramatic gesture provides intimacy for the consultation rooms while serving as a sculptural focal point from the waiting area," said Ivy Studio.

Walnut desk with a chrome base within a consultation room — Walnut desks with chrome bases match the benches in the waiting ares

Fluted glass doors slide open to access the consultation rooms, which feature walnut desks with chrome bases, matching the waiting room benches and the reception counter.

The individual rooms all link to the treatment area behind, where a spiral staircase leads down to office, storage and research space in the basement.

Careful consideration was given to the lighting design, comprising diffused light boxes inside the consultation rooms along with the natural illumination in the other public spaces.

"A soothing environment is paramount for an exotic animal clinic, where patients are easily stressed," Ivy Studio said. "The lighting strategy in the public zones is soft, dimmed, and strictly indirect."

A spiral staircase leads down to a staff area in a basement — A spiral staircase leads down to a staff area in the basement

In the treatment room and basement, the building's concrete bones are exposed, and the fluted concrete walls are painted soft cream.

The bank's original vault is repurposed as a closed pharmacy and lab – the finishing touch in adapting the former financial institution into a contemporary medical facility.

A bank vault repurposed as a closed pharmacy and lab — The original bank vault is repurposed as a closed pharmacy and lab

Ivy Studio is perhaps best known for its hospitality projects across Canada, with completed restaurant projects ranging in style from Japanese minimalism to colourfully retro and bold and glamorous.

The studio's commercial portfolio includes a dry cleaners modelled on a Parisian apartment, an all-black spinning studio and offices for a digital advertising agency also housed in a former bank.

The photography is by Alex Lesage.

Project credits:

Design and architecture: Ivy Studio
Project team: Gabrielle Rousseau, David Kirouac, Guillaume B Riel, Philip Staszewski, Vincent Maillé, Sandra Zimmerman
Construction: Groupe Manovra

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