CHEVALIER MORALES
WHITE TRANSPARENCY AND STRUCTURAL LIGHTNESS The project ’ s forms and materials are simple and intend to disappear to highlight the presence of its landscape , users , and books . White is dominant both inside and out and offers a neutral canvas from which the landscape ’ s changing colors , the roaming visitors , and the many documents contrast and stand out . The white surfaces – walls , ceilings , and shelving – also reflect and multiply the natural light coming in through the vast glass curtain walls , the interior garden , the glass roof , and the multiple skylights , allowing the library to stay bright even during cloudy weather . On the upper level , the light-yellow epoxy-glazed concrete floor , oak bleachers , and colorful and comfortable furniture bring warmth to the predominantly white spaces .
A glazed curtain-wall system punctuated with white aluminum sections wraps the perimeter of the building . Some glass panels are screen-printed to create a smooth transition between transparency and opacity . The envelope is also textured inside ; perforated aluminum panels flank the floor and ceiling , which also act as a ventilation distribution system .
Most of the upper floor slab is cantilevered along the perimeter of the building . The structural challenge to preserve the impression of lightness was achieved by making the floor slab appear as thin as possible . The steel structure was carefully crafted in collaboration with structural engineers , especially the glass roof over the bleachers facing the woods .
Finally , the new building spreads around the initial borough ’ s library . Developing the junctions between the new building envelope and the existing facade was another technical and esthetical challenge . Some salvaged bricks were used to create inside partitions recalling the outline of the previous building . Integrating the memory of the old library into the current project was fundamental .
COLLECTIONS ORGANIZATION AND DISTRIBUTION In dialog with the collections ’ organization in thematic poles desired by the clients , the architects developed an approach that prioritizes individuals and their interactions . It offers visibility , flexibility and a variety of spaces to read , work , and relax . The architects first opted for a dense distribution of the collections to free a maximum of space in the centers and accentuate the plan taking care to preserve interesting views .
Then , they proposed to place thematic isles in the freed-up spaces allowing the display of the collections in a library style . Just as one occupies a place that suits them in a park , these central spaces are organic and contain many sub-spaces more or less intimate following each one ’ s desire .
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Location : Montreal , Quebec , Canada Client : City of Montreal Built area : 4550 m2 Construction cost : 17,5 M $ CA Sustainable development : LEED Gold certification ( target ) Team : Lead Architects : Stephan Chevalier , Sergio Morales and François Lemoine . Architects : Alexandre Massé , Julie Rondeau , Gabriel Lanthier , Céline Leclerc , Christian Aubin , Ève Beaumont-Cousineau , Catherine St-Marseille , Simon Barrette , Geneviève Riopel Consultants : Bouthillette Parizeau , SDK , Équipe Laurence , Version Paysage Awards : Canadian Architect Award of Merit ( 2014 ); Design Award of Excellence – Institutional Projects of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction ( 2018 ); Quebec Libraries and Archives Architecture Award ( 2019 )
www . chevaliermorales . com
ARCHETECH - PAGE 30