Designed by renowned Montreal architect Edward Maxwell, the Birks building was originally built in 1894 for the Henry Birks & Sons jewellery store. This was one of the first businesses established around Phillips Square, along with Morgan’s department store (now Hudson’s Bay) and Montreal’s first art gallery. The building has since undergone numerous alterations over the years, leading to poor conditions that threatened its preservation. The client purchased the building in 2016 and lead a team of professionals to help realize an ambitious project: to transform and restore this historic building into a luxurious boutique hotel, while preserving the celebrated Birks jewelry store.

By evoking the past of a business and individual that have both left marks on Montreal’s history, the team successfully reasserts the presence of Edward Maxwell’s iconic Phillips Square landmark. These efforts have ensured the Henry Birks & Sons’ building will continue to stand out in the city’s cultural landscape for generations to come.