Food tastes better when it’s served with a side of dignity. That was the thinking behind the Old Brewery Mission’s decision to unify the ground floors of three different buildings that had served as the homeless shelter’s food service areas.

Architem Wolff Shapiro Kuskowski introduced storefront windows, elegant awnings and bold signage to update the decor and give the shelter’s seating areas a more restaurant-like atmosphere. For durability and maintenance, the design team used colourful Marmoleum flooring throughout. An exposed brick wall now displays art by the community’s members, while a table with a line of PCs offers Internet access.

Project: Old Brewery Mission

Location: Montreal, Canada

Firm: Architem Wolff Shapiro Kuskowski Architects, Canada

Team: Margo Dennick, Mira Katnick, Magda Kuskowski, Elizabeth Shapiro and Andrea Wolff with Angelo Amicarelli, Sylvain Caron, Jacques Chartrand, Jean-Claude Guénette, Kristian Morse, José Orúe-Bonneville and Tania Pilon