Browns Shoes’ 190,000 square-foot Quebec distribution center was originally built in 2013. Over a decade later, GKC Architecture and Design was tasked with designing an expansion to accommodate the leading footwear company’s commerce growth.

As North America’s leading independent footwear chain, Browns Shoes was founded in 1940 by Benjamin Brownstein. The single store sat on Sainte-Catherine Street, Montreal’s main commercial artery. Now, 80 years after its founding, Browns Shoes continues to operate as a family business, run by the third and fourth generation of Brownsteins. 

The architects opted to use insulated metal panels (IMPs) for the 36,000 square-foot expansion, which brought the distribution center to approximately 225,000 square feet.

Over 20,000 square feet of Kingspan IMPs were used for the expansion. Kingspan’s KarrierPanels with a façade of customized perforated imaging panels were used on the front façade of the expansion. Kingspan’s KS Series Micro-Rib panels in the color Charcoal Gray were also used on all four walls of the expansion. 

Kingspan’s KS Series insulated metal wall panels provide unique aesthetics through a wide range of profiles, like Micro-Rib, while delivering supreme thermal performance. Adjustable module widths can integrate for distinct architectural flair and the panels can be customized with trimless ends and pre-formed corners to provide a clean, finished appearance.

Kingspan’s KarrierPanel is a cost-effective universal barrier wall alternative solution to traditional multi-component wall systems. KarrierPanel utilizes Kingspan’s fully engineered KarrierRail to securely and safely transmit loads from a wide range of non-combustible façade options to the structural supports behind the insulated panels. 

The goal was to seamlessly merge the design of the expansion with the existing facility while accommodating strict building material guidelines. 

“The borough in which this facility is located in has very strict material choice selections for buildings,” said Fernando Lozano, CEO & Managing Principal of GKC Architecture and Design. “We were able to demonstrate to the city that even though GKC was going to use IMPs – a material that is not necessarily approved for use in this area – IMPs could be the substrate to a façade that would complement the existing building. We were able to show how IMPs can present a nice design while providing good interaction with the public interface.” 

Customized perforated imaging panels by Dri-Design were used as a façade on top of the KarrierPanels. A Kingspan company, Dri-Design utilizes state-of-the-art computer-based manufacturing techniques alongside perforated imaging to intricately craft images through perforations. Through meticulous control of perforation size, placement, and density, Dri-Design was able to skillfully generate custom images, creating dynamic interplays of light, dark, and shades in between.

“We went with Dri-Design’s perforated imaging series so that we can do a custom design to match part of the original building,” continued Lozano. “The pattern on the panels picked up on the pattern that was on the glass of the existing building. We recreated that pattern so that the aesthetic of the expansion was consistent with the existing building.” 

In addition to achieving design goals, the use of IMPs only required one installer – Les distributions Styro – which resulted in a quick installation. 

“Closing in the building envelope was a key factor in this expansion – using IMPs allowed for a fast installation, making the expansion more cost effective,” added Lozano. “While we ran into a few production delays, the building was still able to be completely closed in, which allowed us to continue working on the inside with no delay to the overall schedule.” 

The Browns Shoes distribution center expansion was officially completed in the summer of 2024, allowing the independent footwear chain to continue serving its growing customer base.