Reclaimed materials found during demolition work have been preserved and used as decoration in this Montreal wine bar called Stem that's designed and co-owned by Ravi Handa Architect.
Named Stem, the wine bar was completed earlier in 2020 near September, a cafe and surfboard workshop designed by the same architect in Montreal's Little Burgundy neighbourhood.
A piece of vintage wallpaper now hangs by the bar's entrance
Upon learning that a vacant space near September cafe would be taken up by a big-box pizza chain, the architect teamed up with some partners to lease the space themselves.
"There was an uproar in the community and we [September] along with other local businesses on the block didn't want a multinational chain as a neighbour," Handa told Dezeen. "There was a great deal of pressure to create something soulful and anchored to place since we had convinced our landlords to break with a brand that we felt was perhaps void of soul and rather generic," he added.
Materials found on-site during demolition have been turned into artworks
Handa envisioned an establishment that would draw cues from the cafe, offering a casual place for neighbours to gather in a nighttime setting.
"As a partner, and because the business is physically linked to an already successful business, I was more emotionally invested in the design process than usual," he said.
"While the spirit of the cafe is reflected in the wine bar's fine lines and warm palette, the...