The Franciscains Convent in transition — Making the tomorrow's city with yesterday's buildings

Acquired at the end of 2025 by the social enterprise Entremise, the former Franciscans’ convent is set to be repurposed as a socially oriented project. While the building’s upgrades and renovations are planned over the next two years, several initiatives are already underway to establish a vibrant community and cultural ecosystem.

From April 30 to May 3, Entremise invites the public to visit this iconic building in Rosemont-Est, built between 1914 and 1960 and previously inaccessible. For the occasion, the exhibition Matière Sensible will be co-presented in the convent’s cloister by Entremise and the collective Nouveau Milieu. Focusing on material reuse, the exhibition will showcase works by around ten emerging designers, created from the red oak benches of the former chapel adjacent to the convent. Guided tours of the building will also be offered, along with a mediation co-organized with SURCY to raise awareness among visitors about alternative approaches to real estate and architecture in the context of multi-scale material reuse.

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Opening of the exhibition May 1 17:00—20:00

Guided tours May 2 and 3 10:00— 1:00 and 14:00 — 15:00 (Reservations for guided tours will be available starting in late March)

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This initiative was selected as part of the call for participation issued by the Bureau de design de la ville de Montréal.

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‍The Franciscains Convent

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