One of the later warehouse developments prior to WWI, the building was constructed in 1913 by Pilkington Brothers, the British glass manufacturer. The company and its divisions used the building until 1967, sharing occupancy over the years with the McNab Young Seed Company, the Winnipeg Casket Company, and the International Varnish Company. In 1970, DeFehr & Sons, a furniture company, acquired the premises. Designed by the Winnipeg engineering consortium of Carter, Hall & Aldinger, the warehouse has the appearance of being three separate storefronts combined in one façade. The building entrance and display floor windows are contained in an elaborate carved Tyndall stone façade. Two storeys high, it contains a classical cornice with dentils and is typical of Edwardian commercial storefronts. This is set against the main warehouse façade which is constructed of brick and designed with very simplified classical patterning. Having stood derelict for many years, Mogens Smed of Smed Construction purchased the building in 2000 with the intention of demonstrating that old buildings could be successfully and cost-effectively renovated to accommodate high-tech industries. Together with architects Simpson Roberts and Domus Interior Architecture Group, the building was renovated to restore its historic charm and to accommodate Critical Mass - a Calgary-based Internet marketing company. The Pilkington is the first building in North America to use the latest high-tech and environmentally sensitive construction solutions while still preserving the building's history. Through the versatility of Smed's building materials and the expertise of the construction team, the building proves the viability of juxtaposing history with technology.