BGLA + SMITH VIGEANT ARCHITECTES INC . IN CONSORTIUM
“ The facade on Lajeunesse Street affirms the institutional character of the building .
The entrance hall , by its size and opening , creates a generous and friendly transition space between the neighborhood , the daycare service , and the schoolyard .
In order to have a harmonious implementation , the extension follows the existing building principles : a simple rectangular volume with a brick facade . The proportions of which are dictated by a typical class floor , of standard dimensions , with a central corridor .
OPEN AND INTERACTIVE PLACE The ground floor of the expansion is developed in a more open and dynamic way . It establishes functional and convivial links with the existing building , the schoolyard , the street , and the neighborhood . A series of subtractions sculpt the volume to define significant and functional places , namely : the new reception hall and its large exterior forecourt , the daycare service-connected to both the street and the schoolyard , as well as the gymnasium , also asserting its presence in the neighborhood and in the courtyard .
CONNECTION AND CENTRALITY It is through the central hall that the new and old connect . Located in the center of the newly enlarged school , the hall acts as a hub for traffic and links between floors , between the neighborhood and the schoolyard .
Offering generous transparency between the reception area on Lajeunesse Street and the schoolyard , the hall provides a luminous common area , connecting the corridors of the old and the new . In addition to facilitating orientation within the new wing , this central hall assures a better understanding of the place and its environment .
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