ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
THE MAISONNEUVE LIBRARY : DANCING BETWEEN TWO ERAS
EVOQ ARCHITECTURE
The City of Montreal , one of Canada ’ s urban gems , is known for its thriving cultural scene and its rich architectural heritage . What visitors often miss , however , is the gentle , yet radical transformation occurring in pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods away from downtown .
For the last twenty years , as urban designers were busy redefining street life , architects were building — or remodeling — numerous public amenities such as theaters , sports facilities , and libraries . One striking example of this transformative process is the Maisonneuve Library , housed since 1981 in what once was a small , but prestigious city hall for the shortlived City of Maisonneuve .
As the need to upgrade and expand the facility became more and more pressing , Montreal launched a multidisciplinary design competition in 2017 . The winning team was a consortium of Montreal firms led by EVOQ Architecture and Dan Hanganu Architects ( now part of EVOQ ).
A major transformation Officially opened in June 2023 , the carefully restored 1912 building , with its glazed extensions , illustrates how the past can enrich the present , and vice versa . It was highly praised by the Québec association of librarians and archivists , Fédération des milieux documentaires , which selected the Maisonneuve Library as the winner of its 2023 Architecture Award . This recognition takes on particular value coming from the very professionals who , on a daily basis , are in close contact with libraries and their patrons .
The book-centred archetype , which dictated the layout of libraries through most of the 20th century , no longer prevails , as recent libraries have taken on a new role and often act as social hubs in their respective communities . The Maisonneuve branch is no exception . Its transformation , which allowed it to expand from 1,240 to 3,594 square meters , provided it with an opportunity to reinvent itself and meet the needs of a more inclusive and constantly evolving society .
One of the most important decisions taken by the architectural team was to rehabilitate the historic building and bring it back to its original splendour . The stone façades and the monumental doors were carefully restored , as were the original plaster mouldings , wood panelling , and mosaic floors . The piano nobile ’ s marble staircase , and its two imposing stained-glass features , were carefully repaired . The alignment of the new curtain wall and the rhythm of its brise-soleil were dictated by the historic building ’ s neo-classical colonnade .
Key to the design concept was the introduction of a “ tower ” element off the east wing . A clear statement of the library ’ s contemporary identity , it contains a new vertical circulation core and serves as the library ’ s main entrance . Users with reduced mobility can easily enter the premises and reach the elevator , giving them full access to each floor , as well as access to a small roof terrace . The exterior stone steps no
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