In today’s retail landscape, where experience is currency and spaces must do more than sell, they must speak — inclusivity isn’t a buzzword. It’s a design imperative.
The team behind the all-inclusive bathrooms at ROYALMOUNT Mall in Montreal: BORRALLO Interiors, LEMAY, and CARBONLEO — has embraced that challenge once again.
Their latest project delivers an environment that’s equal parts art installation, soundscape, and sensory sanctuary, a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and inspired.
A Sanctuary of Sensory Immersion
Designed as a response to the call for more inclusive, emotionally resonant retail and public environments, this space merges the rigor of architectural form with the fluidity of conceptual art.
Think monolithic volumes, raw materiality, and serendipitous reflections, this is retail meets gallery meets temple of mood.
The design invites you into a narrative that unfolds through contrast: polished mirrored planes meet tactile finishes, light dances subtly across curated surfaces, and ambient sound dissolves the line between public and personal experience.
This isn't just a space, it's a vibe.
Reflections That Reflect Us All
At its heart, this design explores the idea of reflection, literal and metaphorical.
Mirrored surfaces don’t just create optical illusions; they invite moments of self-recognition. Infinite reflections suggest infinite perspectives. And in a world increasingly divided, this sense of multiplicity is quietly radical.
Even the most overlooked spaces, like the corridor of restroom stalls, are elevated. Proportions are stretched, color and light reimagined, and the “unglamorous” is transformed into something poetic.
At the center, a sculptural, monolithic sink installation anchors the zone, more art than utility, while a nearby makeup nook shimmers with mirrored surfaces and dreamlike details.
This space doesn’t just accommodate, it enchants!
Designed for Discovery, Built for Belonging
Throughout, the lighting is intentional and intimate. Spotlights are minimal, letting artworks glow gently, accompanied by the sound of flowing water, adding rhythm and softness to the architectural sharpness. Linear lighting punctuates key volumes, revealing depth, guiding the gaze, and bringing life to every passerby.
This project isn't just about aesthetics. It’s about emotional architecture. It proves that with the right team—architects, designers, clients, and builders—spaces can become inclusive experiences.
Not through signage or policy, but through feeling.
Takeaway for Retail Visionaries
For retailers and design professionals, this is a powerful reminder:
When we design with people instead of for them, we create spaces that resonate, linger, and connect.
Credits:
Interior Design: BORRALLO Interiors
Architect: Lémay
Developer: CARBONLEO
Videography: 2frames
Photography: DUO-TANG STUDIO