2026 Winner

Cochon Dingue needed to expand beyond Quebec City into Montreal while preserving the heritage of a 45-year-old brand. To do that, it shifted from a traditional French bistro positioning to a distinctly Québécois identity, using the idea of the kitchen party as a cultural anchor rooted in warmth, familiarity and shared experience. An open-plan layout with closely arranged tables and visible service stations encourages interaction, while recurring curved forms reinforce the brand’s visual identity. At the centre, “Essaim” by Jérôme Trudelle and Émile Prince – 3,000 suspended resin pigs – captures a sense of energy and collectivity, with a mural by LaCharbonne extending the experience beyond the dining room. The concept was brought to life in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles, designed to work seamlessly across dayparts.

Credits

CREATIVE AGENCY: LG2 ARCHITECTURE
CLIENT: GROUPE GRANDIO
PRODUCTION : Lndmark

[Individual Credits - Agency - LG2 Architecture]
project team
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Marie-Ève Best
COPYWRITING: Geneviève Jetté
DESIGN: Marie-Pier Gilbert
INTERIOR DESIGN AND PROJECT MANAGER : Olivier Paré
STRATEGIC PLANNING: Marc-André Fafard
CLIENT SERVICES: Joanie Couillard
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICERS: Nicolas Baldovini, Josh Stein, Luc Du Sault
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER: Sophie-Annick Vallée
VICE-PRESIDENT, STRATEGY: Marc-André Fafard
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTION: Marie-Ève Best
ARCHITECTURE: Hélène Fortin

[Individual Credits - freelancers]
PHOTOGRAPHY : Philippe Bernard
ARTWORK ESSAIM : Jérôme Trudelle, Émile Prince
MURAL : LaCharbonne (Camille Charbonneau)