Go fish: Jean de Lessard puts a new spin on the traditional seafood market

Not to be limited by the confines of a small space, Montreal designer Jean de Lessard created a journey of the senses via a dynamic, angular interior. Inspired by Jules Verne’s classic novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, the fish market is a veritable kaleidoscope of sapphire and azure, giving the impression of looking upward from the sea floor.

The nautical theme is seen throughout the space. "White and gray ceramic tiling is reminiscent of the slats of hardwood of a boat’s deck," shares the designer. Horizontal and vertical lines converge, conjuring both the emptiness and fullness within the depths of the ocean.

"I approached this project from the ‘vintage’ viewpoint of Jules Verne, but through a timeline between today and tomorrow. It's subtle, a little crazy, but fun," says Jean De Lessard.

Located on the south shore of Québec City, the tiny seafood market captures the novel’s pioneering spirit, appointed with seemingly floating, iceberg-like displays. Stylized cooling systems are topped with custom, asymmetrical glass cases that house lobster and shellfish.

A prismatic glass ceiling provides a sense of underwater magic, replicating the brilliant way that nature refracts light on water. The fragmented interior structure becomes a sweeping tsunami of ethereal light and color, embracing customers in a singular fluid motion and inviting them to explore the space.

Are we the only one that thinks Jules Verne would’ve been a fan?

Photography courtesy of: Francois Laliberté