Multi-Unit Residential

Le Market – 316 Des Meurons

Freedhome Developments

St. Boniface Welcomes People-Centered Urban Development

This six-storey, mixed use residential building introduces a pedestrian focus to an area of disjointed industrial lands, parking lots and car-dominant streetscapes in Winnipeg’s St. Boniface neighbourhood. Street facing tenant spaces activate the street front and provide gathering spaces for community members.

By creating a strong urban edge and visual relationship between interior spaces and the sidewalk, the street can be transformed into a safe and comfortable place for people. Transparency, porosity, and texture at the ground level are important design features to ensure an engaging experience at the street edge, especially on a tight site.

The site was formerly occupied by a run-down 1-storey commercial building, home to an antique market and used appliance store; A ‘Le Market’ sign hanging from the original structure was a source of inspiration for the residential lobby design and gave the new Le Market its name.

On the main level, custom-built arched globe lamps flank the window, creating a canopy above the seating and a warm glow visible from the street. Balconies and second-level roof terraces overlook the sidewalk adding to the feel of vibrancy and safety on the sidewalk, improving quality of life for tenants and their neighbours.

The visual relationship between the interior spaces and the sidewalk transforms the street into a safe and comfortable space.