AtelierB, a Montreal company that uses concrete as a fine material, offers a diverse range of flooring, countertops, panels, decorative accessories, and furniture for residential, commercial and outdoor use. Armed with detailed knowledge of every aspect of concrete, AtelierB’s president, Frédéric Tremblay, and his team have high-level expertise in every stage of concrete production, from design to pouring to finishing.

Concrete: a fine material

By definition, concrete is a blend of largely mineral materials: aggregates (fine gravel, sand), binders (cement, clay) and water. Its low cost, ease of production and durability make it one of the world’s most popular construction materials.

Once used in essentially charmless ways, underestimated and simply left for crews to pour, in the last few decades concrete has reclaimed some of its noble heritage and, in different forms, has helped beautify our indoor and outdoor living spaces. Its raw, minimalist aesthetic, poetically celebrated by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando, is now part and parcel of today’s international architectural trends.

Pushing the boundaries

Despite its increasing popularity, concrete still holds a world of unexplored possibilities. AtelierB, like a true laboratory, explores, discovers and experiments with pushing the boundaries of this versatile material while respecting its intrinsic character and limitations. Working with the material without altering its fundamental nature, AtelierB devises unexpected uses for it, and executes its work with exacting control and attention to detail.

“We have mastered the delicate art of a rough material, to help concrete express its true nature,” says Mr. Tremblay.

Innovative products

The Peco Ping-Pong table, designed in collaboration with M.O. Architecture and Design Workshop, is a recent addition to AtelierB’s outdoor furniture collection. It is an excellent example of the company’s innovative approach to concrete, and the result of collaborative research and development with design and architecture professionals. The Peco table is unique for its daring combination of an ultra-thin (1¼”) concrete slab with a Corten steel structure, resulting in an airy, elegant piece.

In addition to the traditional uses of concrete, such as floors, countertops and furniture design, AtelierB has added an innovative new architectural product to its portfolio: the very high performance concrete panel. Available in three prefabricated models or to order, the panels have no visible aggregate or framework, giving them remarkable lightness accompanied by extreme durability. Inspired by concrete walls with imprints from plywood forms, the panels retain concrete’s aesthetic and authenticity, while being easy to transport and install. Modular and available in a range of colours and textures, they can be used horizontally as countertops or tabletops, or vertically as a wall finish.

Melding the spirit of craftsmanship with innovative practices, for more than 15 years AtelierB has enthusiastically created inspiring, accessible and durable products.