Cultural Centre Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Libraries are now a complex function in our society. The traditional conception of the past used only as a storage space and a lot of reading evolved. The program Cultural Centre Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is a testament to this change in the contemporary library which is now part of an entity with multiple cultural functions.
In response to this recent problem programming space to be agitated or calm are defined by different spatial qualities. Generally, the ground floor is bright and clear and hosts social events, creating a link with the surrounding community. By contrast, the floor spaces designed to be quiet, views of outside controlled and directed where the light filtered through skylights creates an atmosphere introverted, aloof from the outside world.

The new cultural center in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is to become part of the existing urban fabric and aims to contribute directly to the community spirit of sharing already in the island Benny Farm. Three significant architectural gestures allow successful integration: The volume of the new cultural center was designed to establish a relationship to adjacent streets similar to those created by existing buildings and future CLSC, as it can adequately complete the northeast corner of the island. The volume has also been developed to create, like other buildings, public spaces semi / semi-private. By exploiting these spaces in a way that is both functional and aesthetic, they will strengthen and contain the spirit of existing community and more particularly if present in the community garden nearby. Note that in addition to the integration of crabapple decorative landscape design of the whole, we also propose a symbolic extension of the garden space dedicated to parking and loading. The program was organized on the site to generate inputs and clear and easily readable relationships between the spaces of the city and those of the community so that the new cultural center becomes a place of encounter between different project stakeholders and with the population of the district. A powerful visual link is established with the urban fabric by choosing a masonry veneer innovator whose brick color is similar to existing buildings in the area and on the island Benny Farm. The new cultural center was also designed as a building “signature” to assert its importance in the community as a cultural institution and to mark its social function in relation to the city, different from that of neighboring residential buildings. In order to achieve this second nature to the building, various strategies have been implemented: A ground-floor transparent allows activities that take place to be completely visible from the outside. This is an invitation to the city and the community to participate. However, although it is possible to achieve a certain level of transparency during the day, only at night that the building becomes truly transparent. Glass is highly reflective only when there is more light outside than inside, we propose to counter this by announcing the presence of the building otherwise. It is partly for this reason a series of banners extends through and beyond the trees on Monkland Avenue to display current events or future in the cultural center so festive. We propose that the brick is used in innovative ways to contribute to the appearance of the building light and transparent, unlike the often thick and opaque characteristic buildings in masonry veneer. To do this, facing the stands on a regular plan of the wall to allow not only the natural light, but also to direct views and allow solar gain in the winter, while the limit that the summer. This door overhang is achieved through the use of a substrate on which the precast concrete brick can sometimes be arranged in the traditional way sometimes an original drawing on existing patterns around.

Writing & Image courtesy PW & CMA