In a design industry crowded with small studios, standing out requires more than exceptional craft. Montreal-based Caserne has built its reputation on the belief that design can do more than express a brand's strategy – it can become the strategy itself.

That approach helped the 20-person studio earn Gold in Small Design Agency of the Year in 2026, adding to a growing collection of industry recognition that includes three consecutive ADCC Design Studio of the Year awards.

Founded in 2012 by partner and creative director Ugo Varain Lachapelle, Caserne has attracted an international client roster that includes Apple, Google, The North Face, UNESCO and Cirque du Soleil.

Despite its size, the studio has no intention of limiting its ambitions.

“We work in a borderless world, and in terms of creative and strategic talent, I would put Caserne up against any firm, anywhere,” says strategy director Hugo Fournier.

Caserne's work demonstrates how design can address business challenges directly. For Quebec health-food retailer Avril, the studio transformed an overlooked growth symbol into a visual identity spanning stores, digital platforms and more than 400 private-label products. The redesign contributed to a 33% increase in loyalty membership acquisition and a 9.7% year-over-year sales increase in its first full month.

For Telefilm Canada, Caserne created a modular identity inspired by film projection, bringing greater coherence to communications across funding programs, campaigns and events. And for the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Ball, it developed a visual system inspired by Kent Monkman's exhibition, supporting an event that raised more than $2M.

As clients increasingly approach Caserne with business problems rather than conventional design briefs, the studio is strengthening its strategic capabilities without expanding into unrelated disciplines.

That focus reflects a deliberate approach to growth. Caserne wants to compete with the world's leading design firms, but not at the expense of the experimentation, curiosity and collaborative culture that define its work.

“The culture here is our most important asset,” says Fournier. “A big part of that culture – something everyone here shares – is a passion for the work. We never want to lose that.”