Atelier Big City

What Atelier Big City does

Atelier Big City is a Montreal-based architecture firm founded in 1987 by principals Anne Cormier, Randy Cohen, and Howard Davies. The firm specializes in kinetic architecture, interpretive design, and innovative spatial concepts that integrate buildings with landscape and cultural narrative. Its practice spans four project categories: installations, public buildings, housing, and urban form, with a signature project portfolio that includes the Centre d'interprétation du Bourg de Pabos (TREEHOUSE), an award-winning interpretation center featuring a transformable kinetic enclosure.

The firm has accumulated a substantial body of national and regional recognition, including the 1998 Prix de Rome en architecture du Conseil des Arts du Canada (awarded jointly to the three principals), multiple Governor General's Awards, and the Grand Prix d'architecture de l'OAQ. It has operated extensive co-design partnerships with firms such as l'ŒUF, Fichten Soiferman et Associés, and NIP Paysage on large cultural public-sector commissions. Primary clients are public-sector institutions and municipalities in Quebec, with secondary work for private developers and housing cooperatives.

Atelier Big City operates as a project-based, competition-driven private practice. Architectural services are quoted per engagement rather than sold through standardized pricing; the firm generates revenue from competition wins and direct commissions. With a headcount of five individuals and no external investment or parent company, the firm operates as a tightly held boutique practice. The firm maintains a web presence (atelierbigcity.com), Facebook, and Instagram channels, and is supported by earned media through peer-reviewed publications and architectural press coverage.

Name

Atelier Big City

Legal name

Atelier Big City

Website

https://atelierbigcity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Atelier Big City is a Montreal-based architecture firm founded in 1987 that designs kinetic and interpretive buildings, public cultural facilities, housing, and installations. It serves primarily Quebec municipalities and public-sector institutions on a project-based, competition-driven basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Residential Building Construction (23611)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitality & Entertainment Venue Construction (IMAFACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Interpretive architecture
• Kinetic structures
• Cultural buildings design
• Urban form planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Atelier Big City is a Montreal-based architecture firm providing professional architectural design services across four main project categories: installations, public buildings, housing, and urban form. The firm is recognized for competition-winning designs and signature interpretive architecture, most notably the kinetic-enclosure Centre d'interprétation du Bourg de Pabos (TREEHOUSE), and serves public institutions, municipalities, and private developers primarily in Quebec.

Product overview

Atelier Big City is a Montreal-based architectural firm that operates as a single unified practice rather than a platform-based architecture. The firm offers architectural design services across four main project categories: installations, public buildings, housing, and urban form. Notable projects include TREEHOUSE (Centre d'interprétation du Bourg de Pabos), an award-winning interpretation center with kinetic architecture features, and the Breathless installation. The firm has received multiple architectural awards including the Prix de Rome in Architecture (1998) and various Governor General's medals. The practice appears to focus on innovative competition-based projects, interpretive architecture, and cultural buildings rather than commercial product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture and Design Services Professional architectural design services delivered across installations, public buildings, housing, and urban form categories for municipalities, cultural organizations, and private developers in Quebec.
• TREEHOUSE (Centre d'interprétation du Bourg de Pabos) Award-winning interpretation center in Pabos, Quebec featuring a kinetic enclosure system with transformable walls that open in summer and close in winter; designed through architectural competition for the Corporation du Bourg de Pabos.
• Breathless Architectural installation project by Atelier Big City, categorized under the firm's installations practice.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• l'ŒUFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration partner on multiple public building projects including Centre Culturel Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Bibliothèque de Charlesbourg, Théâtre du Vieux-Terrebonne, and Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan
• Fichten Soiferman et AssociéscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Centre Culturel Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Transformation du Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal projects
• NIP PaysagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture collaboration partner on Centre Culturel Notre-Dame-de-Grâce project
• CimaiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on multiple projects including Lieu de diffusion Sherbrooke, Bibliothèque Saint-Charles, Centre Gadbois, and various other cultural projects
• Andrew ForsterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Identification extérieure de la Place des Arts, Montréal project (invited competition)
• Atelier 5minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Agrandissement de la Bibliothèque Françoise-Bédard, Rivière-du-Loup project
• VLAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Agrandissement de la Bibliothèque Françoise-Bédard, Rivière-du-Loup project
• Borkur BergmanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Bibliothèque d'Outremont, Montréal project
• Jean-Pierre Chupin et Monique CôtéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partners on Une cité-jardin à Rosemère project (invited competition)
• Laurent Joyal architecteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Caisse populaire de Drummondville project
• DMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Salle de spectacles de l'Assomption project (invited competition)

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Lemay: One of Canada's largest multi-disciplinary architecture and design firms, headquartered in Montreal. Serves the same Quebec cultural, institutional, and public sector clients but at a much larger scale and with integrated engineering services.
• Snøhetta: Internationally recognized architecture and design firm known for cultural, civic, and interpretive architecture (e.g., libraries, visitor centers, museums). Comparable as a benchmark for interpretive and cultural-architecture practice at a much larger international scale.

Direct peers

• Atelier TAG: Montreal architecture practice focused on cultural, educational, and public projects with a strong award-winning portfolio. Closely comparable in size, Quebec location, and project typology mix.
• Fichten Soiferman et Associés: Montreal architecture firm and explicit recurring collaboration partner of Atelier Big City on Centre Culturel NDG and MAC transformation. Same Quebec market, same cultural-institutional client base, and shared project history.
• l'ŒUF: Montreal architecture firm and Atelier Big City's most frequent collaboration partner (Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan, multiple libraries and cultural centers). Directly comparable Quebec peer in project typology and client mix.
• Saucier + Perrotte Architectes: Montreal-based architecture firm with a comparable profile: small studio specializing in innovative cultural, institutional, and public projects, including signature buildings such as the Société québécoise du cannabis. Most directly comparable Quebec peer in scale and design philosophy.
• Provencher Roy: Montreal architecture firm with strong cultural, public, and institutional portfolio (e.g., architectural interventions for Place des Arts — also a project Atelier Big City competed for). Similar Quebec-based practice serving the same municipal and cultural client base.
• Diamond Schmitt Architects: Toronto architecture firm with extensive cultural, civic, and institutional portfolio (Four Seasons Centre, libraries, museums). Comparable as a Canadian firm focused on high-prestige public architecture with Governor General's-level recognition.
• KPMB Architects: Toronto-based Canadian architecture firm with an award-winning cultural and institutional portfolio (e.g., TIFF Bell Lightbox, academic buildings). Comparable as a Canadian cultural-architecture specialist with national award recognition.
• Patkau Architects: Canadian architecture firm known for innovative, award-winning cultural and public projects. Comparable in design philosophy, focus on cultural architecture, and reputation for innovation despite a small studio model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AtelierBigCity
• Instagraminstagram.com/atelierbigcity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atelier-big-city

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atelier Big City