A 5-minute walk from the Place d’Armes metro station and a hundred meters from Montreal’s Old Port promenade, on the 5th floor of a historic building on rue Saint-Paul, we find ourselves in a hidden coworking space, flooded with light and our new favorite place to work in Montreal…
In Montreal, we’re always short of two things – time and space. We’re too busy, we’re working between two gallery-café-bike-restos – with the laptop on our knees or balanced on a tiny café table – and (oops) we’ve missed our pilates class again…
Coworking spaces, of which there aren’t many, are often overbooked sardine tins with filter coffee burning the back of our throats, so we’d forgotten about them for a while.
But we found one that’s cozy, super bright, with coffee machines that make Italian-style lattes and cathedral ceilings-and an $8 yoga class one lunchtime a week.
A coworking space designed with love
Walter is the brainchild of French architecture firm Patriarche, which has also established a coworking space in Quebec City and is currently renovating and fitting out the Biosphère – an iconic feature of the Montreal skyline .
The 5th floor of the historic building, where coworking is divided into 4 spaces, has been completely renovated and designed by Patriarche, and it’s also their offices – and we think that’s part of the quiet, fertile energy of the place, along with the big wooden beams and comfortable furniture.
We move between spaces, passing under large skylights in the ceiling. First, we pass through a large coworking space with stations under a large wooden vault. Then you enter a café area with tables for conversation and, above, an event room with a teak convent table.
Private meeting rooms and larger coworking rooms are also available for hire for businesses – or for debriefing with a group of friends you haven’t seen in a while.
There’s also a “creative studio” space for incubators and startups, with bean bag chairs and a ping-pong table, phone booths and small glass offices for 1-to-1s.
The little extras
In addition to the space, which, for a coworking space, is much more airy and comfortable than we’re used to in big cities, Walter offers an $8 yoga class every Tuesday or Wednesday lunchtime, in one of its converted spaces. There are lockers and changing rooms – you can also cool off if you come by bike (it’s two minutes from a Bixi station) or if you feel like going for a run along the Old Port for a break.
Hybrid work-from-home living doesn’t have to be scary, because in this (still somewhat secret) space you can work in natural light in an incredibly pleasant location, drink a latte under a large coffee plant, rent a meeting room by the hour and -on request- you can even bring your dog…
Practical info
Walter has a very flexible offer to suit all jobs and lifestyles.
How much does it cost?
For those looking for a daily workspace, there’s a year-round membership at $500/month.
For those who want to work in a group or on their own for a few hours, the open area is $10/hour, and for 10 days, it starts at $430.
For full rates, visit Walter’s website here!
Where? 5th floor, 85 rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Old Port of Montreal
When? Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and on request outside these hours / and for members, the space is open 24 hours a day!
Good job!