METRO, a leading retailer in the food and pharmacy sectors in Quebec and Ontario, will be involved in the construction of a new automated distribution centre for fresh and frozen products in Terrebonne, Montreal.

Spanning a total area of 55,742 m² (600,001 sf), the centre features the recognizable emblematic bright red colour that adorns different surfaces of the complex, offset by grey and black surfaces.

Special care was taken when designing the facades to make them more dynamic. The use of different colours and the addition of vertical bands in random sequences on the blind walls helped to soften the building’s perceived length.

Opaque black vertical stripes add dynamism to the facade, both in the glazed upper section and at the metal base of the ground floor, as well as extending horizontally across the pavement surrounding the building.

Further innovative features include a 34-m (111.5-ft) high volume at its maximum (equivalent to nine storeys), which is twice the standard height for this building. Requiring custom-made steel columns, this configuration optimizes the handling and storage of frozen products and reduces the building’s footprint and overall land use.

The administrative centre has various spaces, including designated work areas, multifunctional rooms, a cafeteria, informal meeting spaces, a fitness centre, and a daycare.

GKC was responsible for the overall architectural design of the buildings, while Imperatori Design undertook the interior design of the administrative centre and daycare within this complex.