Atelier C3 Design, at the crossroads of design, art and collective innovation

In Quebec, a design studio transforms interiors into grounds for collective experimentation, combining artistic approach, local know-how and functional innovation.

Create together, rethink uses

In Quebec City, Atelier C3 Design has carved out a unique place for itself in the interior design landscape. Founded by Matthieu Boulianne at the age of nineteen, the studio built its reputation on a simple idea: to design spaces that speak to those who inhabit them. But behind this promise lies a well-oiled machine. From the outset, the studio stood out for its room-by-room design packages—a novel formula at the time.« For two years, we were the only ones offering this. It was very reassuring for customers. », recalls Matthew.

This pragmatism doesn’t preclude a fundamentally sensitive approach to design. At Atelier C3 Design, each project begins by listening to lifestyle habits, tastes, and context. The studio offers end-to-end support, including the manufacture of custom furniture. This attention to detail, combined with an inclusive vision, fuels a reflection on uses: how to streamline the customer journey, how to integrate artistic intention into everyday objects. At the intersection of design and applied art, the studio inscribes its practice in a logic of audacity, with a constant objective: to put meaning back at the center of each project.

From interior design workshop to co-creation studio

Over time, the workshop has expanded its scope. Today, Atelier C3 Design collaborates with artists, artisans, and manufacturers to design hybrid objects. In Quebec City, a project with ceramist Sarah-Maude Girard has given rise to a range of tableware: butter dishes, pitchers, soap dishes, and more. All the objects are designed with a dual function. The pitcher becomes a vase, while the soap dish acts as a tray. Behind these objects lies a desire to blur the lines between art and practicality.

Another example: a vanity molded from Himacs Solid Surface, a material developed by LX Hausys, the studio’s international partner. Thermoformable and durable, this material allows for the creation of sculptural pieces designed to last. “When developing a product, we always think about what’s available on the market, what’s not available, and what’s missing,” explains Matthieu Boulianne. Collaborations then become a strategic lever: combining perspectives, pooling skills, and opening design to other fields of application. In this process, the artists retain a great deal of latitude, which the founder acknowledges as such: “The artistic process requires this freedom.”

Growing the market through transversality

The studio’s approach goes beyond furniture and decor design. Through its projects, the Quebec studio seeks to structure a collaborative creative space, halfway between a laboratory, a gallery, and a design office. Recognized by the Canada Council for the Arts, Atelier C3 Design asserts a unique position: that of an intermediary between the artist-designer and the end user. This positioning provides access to large-scale projects, such as exhibitions currently being prepared for museums.

Partnerships are multiplying. Sherwin-Williams for a collection of shades, Décor Imprimé for wallpaper , Noir sur Blanc for original works. The studio is also consulted by international brands on trends and consumer expectations. In each case, the challenge is the same: to create a coherent product, anchored in reality, but capable of broadening the scope. « Nous sommes un pont entre les idées et le concret », summarizes Matthieu Boulianne. This assumed transversality allows the studio to influence practices, but also to inspire a sector in search of meaning and innovation.