Le Clara Restaurant

A Wine Bar at the Heart of Place des Arts

Located at Place des Arts, Le Clara has been transformed into a warm and welcoming wine bar. Designed by Atelier Zébulon Perron in collaboration with Patriarche, the project introduces a new identity while respecting the architecture and public nature of its surroundings.

A Partition That Defines the Space

At the heart of the project, a custom perforated partition does much more than separate the restaurant from the public corridors. It defines the space, protects an iconic artwork and maintains a visual connection with Place des Arts.

Located within the Georges-Émile-Lapalme cultural space, Le Clara sits in a busy pedestrian environment near the theatres, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art, the metro and Complexe Desjardins. The challenge was to create a distinct and inviting space without disconnecting it from its surroundings.

The partition strikes this balance between openness and intimacy. Its open framework allows views through while clearly defining the restaurant’s boundaries.

Its expression changes depending on the side from which it is viewed. On the Place des Arts side, raw-finish aluminum profiles provide a durable, low-maintenance solution that complements the complex’s architecture. On the restaurant side, solid wood elements bring warmth and texture.

Made up of more than 50 modules fabricated off-site and assembled on location, the custom partition becomes an architectural feature in its own right—both functional and scenographic.