Aire commune
Aire Commune is a Montreal-based non-profit (OBNL) that designs, fabricates, and operates placemaking projects, outdoor venues, and public event programs for Canadian municipalities and corporate clients. It runs flagship venues in Montreal and Ottawa with an in-house 7,000 sq ft fabrication workshop.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Aire commune does
Aire Commune is a Montreal-based non-profit (OBNL) space and event creation company, founded in 2017 and operated under the umbrella organization Îlot 84. The company designs, fabricates, and operates placemaking projects, outdoor venues, and public event programs for Canadian municipalities, public organizations, and private/corporate clients. Its core service modules are placemaking (urban space transformation), design and fabrication (custom installations, street furniture, event structures, and scenography), and end-to-end event production. A 7,000-square-foot in-house manufacturing workshop in Montreal, combined with a multidisciplinary team of ~28 core staff plus 100+ seasonal collaborators, enables full-cycle delivery from concept and 3D modeling through fabrication, deployment, and on-site operations.
The company generates revenue through five primary streams: event production and ticketing (via Tixr), placemaking and urban design project fees for public-sector clients, design and fabrication services, corporate and private venue privatization at its seasonal sites, and full venue/site operations. Flagship recurring venues include Esplanade Louvain in Montreal, SOUS L'ANNEAU at Esplanade PVM, and Metcalfe Plaza in Ottawa, with operations expanding nationally to Calgary (River Hall) and Laval. Recent initiatives include the SOUS ZÉRO winter music festival (launched 2024) and a sexual-violence-prevention policy deployed via a partnership with Scène & Sauve.
Aire Commune's go-to-market is project- and event-driven, relying on direct relationships with municipal partners (Ville de Montréal, Ville d'Ottawa, Ville de Laval, Ville de Gatineau, Quartier des Spectacles), enterprise clients (Air Canada, Parc Olympique, Place Ville Marie), and an emerging network of beverage, hospitality, and tourism sponsors. Distribution is direct for project mandates and venue privatization, with consumer-facing ticketing handled through Tixr and free event access in seasonal public spaces. The company has not raised venture funding, operates as a non-profit, and reports over 100 events annually across Canada.
Aire commune firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aire commune
- Legal name
- Aire Commune
- Website
- https://airecommune.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aire Commune is a Montreal-based non-profit (OBNL) that designs, fabricates, and operates placemaking projects, outdoor venues, and public event programs for Canadian municipalities and corporate clients. It runs flagship venues in Montreal and Ottawa with an in-house 7,000 sq ft fabrication workshop.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aire commune industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Placemaking and Event Production Services
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Interior Design Services (54141), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Aire commune is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Aire commune business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Event production and ticketing: Aire commune designs and produces events from happy hours to large-scale festivals, selling tickets through Tixr for premium events and offering free events supported by partnerships. Revenue is generated through ticket sales for paid events and season passes.
- Placemaking and urban design projects: Custom placemaking, space design, and urban development projects for municipalities, public organizations, and private partners. Projects range from temporary installations to more permanent urban interventions, billed as project-based mandates.
- Design and fabrication services: Custom manufacturing and fabrication of installations, structures, street furniture, brand activations, event structures, and scenography. Services include industrial design, 3D modeling, and manufacturing plan production.
- Corporate and private event privatization: Offering venues such as Esplanade Louvain and Metcalfe Plaza for corporate events, private bookings, and semi-private reservations (VIP areas), with full bar service and on-site catering.
- Venue and site operations: Full operational management of activated spaces including staffing, logistics, security, bar operations, and programming, delivering a complete venue management service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Crowd vendor / bar server |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Reception agent |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Internal security supervisor |
| Subscription | Annual | Season pass (Esplanade Louvain) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Event tickets (paid events) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Aire commune product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aire commune designs, builds, and activates urban spaces and events for municipalities, corporate partners, and the general public. Its core offerings combine placemaking, custom design and fabrication through an in-house manufacturing workshop, and end-to-end event production, with flagship venues including Esplanade Louvain, Metcalfe Plaza, and SOUS L'ANNEAU at Place Ville Marie.
Product overview
Aire Commune is a unified space and event creation platform that combines three core service modules: Placemaking (urban space transformation), Design & Fabrication (custom installations via a 7,000 sq ft in-house workshop), and Event Production (end-to-end orchestration from concept to operations). The company operates recurring product lines including SOUS L'ANNEAU at Place Ville Marie in Montreal, Esplanade Louvain programming in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, and Metcalfe Plaza in Ottawa. Additional offerings include corporate event privatization services and seasonal passes. The integrated approach covers design, manufacturing, and activation phases, supported by a multidisciplinary team and solid network of partners across Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Placemaking Services Urban space transformation services that combine design, programming, and daily-use considerations to create welcoming environments rooted in community identity. Targeted at municipalities and organizations seeking to revitalize public spaces.
- Design & Fabrication Services Custom design and manufacturing of installations including brand activations, street furniture, event structures, and scenography. Features a 7,000-square-foot in-house manufacturing workshop enabling rapid move from concept to execution. Targeted at municipalities, brands, and organizations seeking physical installations.
- Event Production Services End-to-end event orchestration from concept through logistics, operations, and communications, including happy hours, festivals, and large gatherings. Targeted at municipalities, corporate clients, and public events.
- SOUS L'ANNEAU Event Series Free outdoor event series at Esplanade PVM (Place Ville Marie) in downtown Montreal, running June through September with music programming, DJs, and festive atmosphere. Open to the general public.
- Esplanade Louvain Programming Weekly programming at Esplanade Louvain in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Montreal featuring Thursday happy hours, yoga lunches, and various cultural events from May to September. Open to the general public with some paid events and a season pass option.
- Metcalfe Plaza (Ottawa) Open-air social hub at 151 Metcalfe Street in downtown Ottawa, featuring free outdoor events, parties, wellness activities, cultural programming, and community gatherings from June 18 to September 26, 2026. Open Thursday to Saturday from 12 PM to 10 PM. Targeted at the general public and corporate/private events.
- SOUS ZÉRO Festival First winter music festival launched in 2024, marking Aire commune's entry into seasonal programming beyond summer events. Targeted at general public and music audiences.
- Corporate Event Privatization Full-site privatization for corporate events at Esplanade Louvain and Metcalfe Plaza, offering outdoor venues with seating, stage, full bar service, and cultural programming. Targeted at corporate clients and private bookers.
- Season Pass (Esplanade Louvain) Season pass offering access to all regular programming events at Esplanade Louvain from May to September 2026, including guaranteed entry even if events are sold out. Non-refundable, non-exchangeable, non-transferable.
Quantifiable outcome
- 87,000 visitors in 4 months (2018) at Aire commune Mile End
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Aire commune
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aire commune technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Aire commune partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.
- City of Ottawa Nightlife OfficecoreCollaboration with the City of Ottawa Nightlife Office for the Metcalfe Plaza project, bringing free outdoor events, wellness activities, cultural pop-ups, and community gatherings to downtown Ottawa from June to September 2026.
- Downtown BIAcorePartner in the Metcalfe Plaza initiative, supporting downtown Ottawa's vitality through community events and programming.
- Ottawa TourismsupportingTourism partner for Metcalfe Plaza, promoting the outdoor venue and events to visitors and locals in Ottawa.
- AmashowzacoreCo-presenter and programming partner for Metcalfe Plaza, powering DJ sets, dance parties, wellness programming, markets, pop-ups, and special community events alongside Aire commune.
- Îlot 84flagshipÎlot 84 is the non-profit organization (OBNL) behind Aire commune. Its mission is to energize urban experience through the creation of spaces and the programming of events. Aire commune is the primary initiative operated by Îlot 84.
- Scène & SauvecoreIn 2024, Aire commune partnered with Scène & Sauve to implement a policy to prevent and address sexual violence at events. Sentinelle teams specialized in sexual violence prevention (VACS) were deployed throughout the 2024 summer season. The partnership aims to raise standards for sexual violence prevention in festive environments.
- Ole CocktailssupportingBar partner and sponsor for Metcalfe Plaza events, providing cocktail offerings.
- Mana Yerba MatesupportingBeverage partner for Metcalfe Plaza, providing yerba mate products.
- Alberta Pure VodkasupportingBeverage sponsor for Metcalfe Plaza's licensed bar.
- Beyond the PalesupportingBeverage partner for Metcalfe Plaza's bar offerings.
- ALT HotelssupportingHotel partner for Metcalfe Plaza events and programming.
- District Central (SDC)supportingLocal business improvement district partner for Esplanade Louvain events in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville area of Montreal.
- Pepito SangriasupportingBeverage partner and event presenter for Esplanade Louvain events, including LA MURGA and other programming.
- CoronasupportingBeverage sponsor for Esplanade Louvain events.
- Cherry RiversupportingBeverage partner for Esplanade Louvain events.
- Place Ville Marie (Galerie PVM / Sommet PVM)coreHost venue partner for SOUS L'ANNEAU programming at Esplanade PVM, providing the outdoor space for free events from June to September. Aire commune also directs event attendees to Galerie PVM and Sommet PVM restaurants for food.
- Ville de MontréalcoreKey municipal partner for urban animation, placemaking projects, and event programming across Montreal neighborhoods including Mile End and Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
- Ville de LavalsupportingMunicipal partner for whom Aire commune signed its first summer programming in 2024.
- Ville de GatineausupportingMunicipal partner for urban animation and placemaking projects in the Gatineau area.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aire commune competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pico Group: Hong Kong-headquartered experience-led group offering placemaking, brand activation, and event production with in-house design and fabrication. Comparable for its end-to-end model spanning design, build, and live event operation across multiple geographies.
- Moment Factory: Montreal-based multidisciplinary creative studio that designs and produces immersive urban experiences, multimedia installations, and public-space activations. Most directly comparable peer given shared Montreal base, design-to-fabrication model, and focus on public urban experiences.
- Gehl: Urban design and placemaking consultancy founded in Copenhagen that advises cities on public-space activation. Comparable through its placemaking thesis, city-level client base, and focus on revitalizing urban spaces for community use.
Broad incumbents
- Jack Morton Worldwide: Global brand experience agency producing live events, brand activations, and immersive experiences for major brands. Comparable as a broader incumbent competing for the same corporate event and brand-activation mandates.
- MKG: Experiential marketing agency producing live brand experiences, pop-ups, and event productions. Comparable through its focus on designing and operating physical brand experiences for corporate clients.
- Civic Entertainment Group: Live event and entertainment marketing agency serving major brands and rights holders. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating in the same experiential/event production space with corporate and rights-holder clients.
- Sparks: Global experiential marketing agency producing brand experiences, pop-ups, and live events for enterprise clients. Overlaps with Aire Commune's corporate event privatization and brand activation services.
Emerging players
- Bompas & Parr: London-based multidisciplinary design studio specializing in immersive event experiences, custom installations, and food-based activations. Comparable to Aire Commune through its custom fabrication-driven approach to live experience design.
- Puzzle Group (Pop Up Grocer): Pop-up retail and brand activation operator producing temporary retail experiences in underused urban spaces. Comparable through its placemaking philosophy of activating urban locations with consumer-facing programming.
- 8-80 Cities: Toronto-based urban nonprofit focused on creating public spaces and streets for people, working with municipalities on placemaking and public-realm strategy. Comparable as a mission-driven peer addressing the same city-client placemaking demand.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aire commune social profiles
Digital presenceAire commune financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aire commune leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Aire commune funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aire commune M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aire commune
What does Aire commune do?
Aire commune designs, builds, and activates urban spaces and events for municipalities, corporate partners, and the general public. Its core offerings combine placemaking, custom design and fabrication through an in-house manufacturing workshop, and end-to-end event production, with flagship venues including Esplanade Louvain, Metcalfe Plaza, and SOUS L'ANNEAU at Place Ville Marie.
Is Aire commune a public or private company?
Aire commune is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Aire commune founded?
Aire commune was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aire commune based?
Aire commune is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Aire commune make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Event production and ticketing is the primary driver. The others are placemaking and urban design projects, design and fabrication services, corporate and private event privatization and venue and site operations.
Who are Aire commune's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pico Group, Moment Factory and Gehl. Broad incumbents are Jack Morton Worldwide, MKG, Civic Entertainment Group and Sparks. Emerging players are Bompas & Parr, Puzzle Group (Pop Up Grocer) and 8-80 Cities.
Does Aire commune have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aire commune.
What industry is Aire commune in?
Aire commune's product category is Urban Placemaking and Event Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAOAG, Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design. Its NAICS code is 71131.