Just steps from the Bell Centre, a new location of the French brasserie Chez Lionel has been designed by Cleo Katcho Design Architectural Inc. within a landmark downtown Montreal building. Conceived as a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional French brasserie, the project transforms an existing space to create a more fluid and connected experience, where the bar becomes the vibrant heart of the restaurant.

This apparent fluidity is the result of a rigorous spatial reconfiguration. Working within strong architectural constraints, the project at 1250 René-Lévesque Boulevard is structured through precise interventions that reorganize circulation and redefine the relationship between ambiance and conviviality.

Working with constraints

Located in a 1990s building, the restaurant originally featured a fragmented layout, where the dining room, bar, and mezzanines coexisted without clear cohesion. From the earliest site visits, a major constraint became evident: a granite core housing an emergency staircase divided the space, disrupting continuity. As an immovable element, it had to be integrated into the design.

"The essence of the project begins with the plan," explains designer Cléo Katcho. "Faced with this central mass, we had to rethink how to structure the space to ensure clarity and continuity, transforming a major constraint into an organizing element.”

The project took shape around a defining move: extending the restaurant into the building’s lobby to create a lounge and bar area seamlessly connected to the main space. Initially perceived as a risk, this intervention became the project’s key organizing strategy. By expanding into this semi-public zone, the team redefined thresholds between interior and exterior, while establishing a visible presence from the street.

Re-centering the experience

Relocating the bar to the ground floor fundamentally transforms the dynamics of the space. Previously isolated on a mezzanine, it now occupies a central position, acting as both a passage point and gathering space.

“We want guests to feel the atmosphere from the moment they arrive,” notes the designer. “The bar now stands as a structuring element around which the entire restaurant experience is organized.”

Around the central core, spaces unfold in a continuous sequence between the lounge, bar, and dining area. The consolidation of two mezzanines into a single level reinforces this coherence. Where the previous configuration fragmented the experience, the new mezzanine, open to the ground floor, maintains constant visual connections between levels.

This pursuit of continuity is also reflected in the treatment of views. From the staircase, sightlines lead down toward the bar; from the lobby, interior activity becomes visible, inviting entry. The space opens visually without losing its identity.

This openness also introduced a lighting challenge. The brightly lit lobby risked disrupting the more intimate atmosphere desired for the brasserie. Close coordination with building management allowed for adjustments to lighting levels, creating a gradual transition between the two environments. The result is an entrance that maintains transparency without compromising the restaurant’s ambiance.

Updating the codes of the brasserie

Materially, the project aligns with the identity developed across Chez Lionel locations, with the aim of evolving the image of the French brasserie while maintaining recognizable references. The design approach balances classical elements with contemporary interventions.

Brick, combined with metal accents, introduces a more urban dimension, while gold finishes, custom crystal lighting fixtures, and mesh bar details reference traditional brasserie codes. This combination preserves familiarity while updating the formal language.

Vegetation, integrated in a structured manner, evokes the grand glasshouses of European brasseries. Its more controlled and refined treatment reflects a contemporary aesthetic focused on clarity and legibility.

Certain building constraints were embraced as integral components of the design. Granite floors and columns were preserved for both structural and identity reasons, as altering them would have compromised the character of the space. Their presence reinforces a strong material identity and anchors the restaurant within its context, while giving it a distinct personality within the brand’s portfolio.

Particular attention was also given to acoustics. The configuration of the space — mineral surfaces, glazing, and open volumes — created challenges related to reverberation. Integrated sound-absorbing elements, concealed within darker finishes, were implemented to ensure acoustic comfort without altering the spatial perception.

The project proposes a more open interpretation of the traditional brasserie, where the repositioning of the bar, the opening of circulation paths, and the integration of existing constraints redefine movement and ways of inhabiting the space. A diversity of seating — including banquettes, tables, and lounge areas — supports this transformation, allowing for a more flexible use of the space, from dining to aperitif.

With this new Chez Lionel location, Cléo Katcho demonstrates that a project finds its strength not by erasing constraints, but by integrating them to the point where they become the starting point of the experience.