Franky

Anne Rousseau

• Architects

Franky is a mixed-use development comprising 24 residential units, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments, as well as three commercial spaces, located at the corner of Boulevard des Capucins and Rue de Beaujeu. At ground level, the commercial spaces open directly onto the boulevard, while the residential units above are accessed through a more discreet shared entrance from the adjacent residential street. This configuration establishes an intuitive relationship between streets and uses.

In front of the commercial spaces, covered areas and landscaped islands create pleasant places for movement, exchange, and gathering, playing a key role in strengthening social connections.

The project’s volumetry and color palette draw inspiration from the neighboring building, while clearly expressing changes in use and softening the building’s perceived height. The ground floor, clad in dark panels, contrasts with the masonry facade of the upper floors. Designed with high ceilings to offer a high degree of flexibility, the project allows for the future adaptation of commercial spaces in response to the evolving needs of the neighborhood.

photo_credit Anne Rousseau — Anne Rousseau

Designed without on-site car parking, Franky prioritizes active and public transportation, reducing its ecological footprint, as well as construction costs and rents. Freed from automobiles, the basement instead accommodates generous shared and private bicycle storage areas. Its success is evident: all units were leased before construction was completed, confirming the growing interest in this type of development.

Franky thus exemplifies a thoughtful approach to densification, combining quality of life, mixed uses, and environmental responsibility, while contributing to the vitality and social cohesion of the neighborhood.

The Franky Bag

The Franky bag illustrates the close relationship between the building and the street. An ideal accessory for public transit commutes or neighborhood shopping, it was illustrated by local artist Charles Turcotte. More than a simple Tyvek bag, it celebrates collaboration and social interaction, core values both in the design of our cities and in everyday life.

The object becomes a pretext for communicating the foundations of the project. By adopting this item, you share the team’s vision: that of an everyday architecture that is sensitive, lively, and contemporary.