Ysabel Gauvreau, Designer

We have commissioned Ysabel and Valérie Gauvreau of Gauvreau Design to do the interior design for MYX Condos. Ysabel tells us about her career path and the main aspects of this project.

The Gauvreau sisters got started in design at a young age, following the footsteps of their mother, a designer herself. The younger Ysabel was interested in theatre sets and staging. She put on plays, creating the set and costumes herself. Although she had already proven herself as an artist, she fell in love with the more technical side of design, including making plans and layouts, while studying at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal.

She then went on to work on commercial projects including the interior design for restaurants, bars, and eventually condominium projects.

MYX condos: A design inspired by nature

When visiting the neighbourhood with Ilan Gewurz, Ysabel was inspired by the natural surroundings. As she explains, “I didn’t realize that Pointe Nord would be such a green, natural area, especially this close to downtown, as it’s not something I see at the other development projects I do downtown and in Griffintown. I was immediately drawn to the parks, trees, river, the sounds of birds singing, the landscaping… I wanted to integrate the environment into the interior concept for this project.”

The rooftop terrace features many natural elements and a lot of sitting areas where one can linger.

At MYX, the common areas are located on the building’s rooftop. “Since we’re higher up, we don’t have a sense of these surroundings. For this reason, we integrated many plants and natural elements into the concept for the common areas to maintain that feeling of unity with the neighbourhood,’’ explains Ysabel. Gauvreau Design worked in collaboration with the team from Vlan, the project’s landscape architects, to select the plants that would be used for the rooftop terrace and around the pool. “We decided on planters with leafier plants. For furnishings, we installed hanging chairs on the rooftop terrace and in the urban chalet to create an inviting space. This creates continuity between the indoors and outdoors,’’ Ysabel says.

MYX: Scandinavian inspiration revisited

The designers revisited the building’s Scandinavian look, keeping the clean, functional lines and adding warmer elements, such as weathered wood and pure, natural materials like smooth concrete and natural stone.

MYX: Challenges drawn by the shape of the building

The L-shaped layout of the building creates a challenge for decorating the corridors. The designers have to make these long passages interesting to walk through for the residents.  Various options are being considered. “We can play with the lighting levels in different areas and paint the walls different colours to cut the length,’’ explains Ysabel. The designers are also considering having a stand-out design for each resident’s door to highlight the individual units.

MYX: a unique approach

“We have a very unique work approach to the MYX project. Proment has all the teams come together at the same table so that the teams from each area can evaluate and comment on the work of the others. It allows for a smoother project,’’ says Ysabel. “It’s a stimulating way of a doing things. I was even asked for my opinion on what colour to use for the brick on the façade, something that has traditionally been the architect’s decision. The people working in each area can hear the others’ comments and take their work that step further.

“The developer made considerable efforts to create a neighbourhood that boasts an interesting lifestyle and, in the same vein, MYX was conceived to offer a unique lifestyle for its residents. It’s been a pleasure for us to work on the MYX project, and we hope other collaborations will follow,” Ysabel concludes.

To find out more about MYX condos, visit: myxcondos.ca