Design tourism / Published on June 1, 2021
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OUTDOOR DESIGN
As days are getting longer and weather is rising … looks like summer is just around the corner and that it will be a summer of responsible gatherings made possible again! Here are some outdoorsy addresses to discover for the pleasures of the activities of-fered as much as the quality design installations provided.
▪ Îles-de-Boucherville National Park Service & Discovery Center
Îles-de-Boucherville, Quebec, Canada
Design: Smith Vigeant Architectes, smithvigeant.com
Text: Christian Bergeron. Photos: Adrien Williams.
FOREST REFLECTION
A reassembled landscape: that’s what Smith Vigeant Architectes offers with the Îles-de-Boucherville National Park Discovery and Service Centre.
The building’s structure, made entirely of wood, honours the essences found in nature nearby. Thus, the Eastern Cedar is used as an outer cladding (in natural finish) and interior cladding (varnished or bleached), evoking the duality of the bark and sap-wood, whereas the reception counter is made of white oak and yellow birch.
The project, which reflects and respects its environment, was created with sustainable development in mind, in line with its role as a gateway to nature.
The curved architecture minimizes the imprint on the soil and facilitates the visitors’ path. The bioclimatic factors taken into consideration (orientation in terms of the sun, natural ventilation) allowed energy costs to be significantly reduced. Whether from an aesthet-ic point of view, or simply functionality, this project fits seamlessly into its surroundings, brilliantly fulfilling its role as a showcase building for the SÉPAQ’s network.
Up for a boat ride? Canoe, kayaks … you name it! Oh … you might catch sight of some deer too!
› Visit: Îles-de-Boucherville National Park
55 Île Sainte Marguerite, Boucherville, QC J4B 5J6
▪ Beaver Lake Kiosks
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Design: Atelier Urban Face, atelierurbanface.ca
Text: Charles Ammoun. Photos: Normand Rajotte, Fany Ducharme, Sylvie Legault.
OBLIQUE UTILITY
Nature at our door! The Montreal Mont-Royal is your to discover come summer!
Close to Beaver Lake, at 1260 Remembrance Street, we find three kiosks having a useful purpose.
Designed as an artistic installation, the request made by Mount Royal and the Large Parks and Greening department’s administration, is the result of a work established by Atelier Urban Face.
Each construction is inclined at a different angle, giving the impression that the wind is applying pressure on them. The mix of zinc, steel, glass and ash wood materials com-bined with the sober geometric forms integrates everything harmoniously with the clearing.
› Visit: Le mont Royal
1260 Chemin Remembrance, Montréal, QC H3H 1A2
▪ Place des Canotiers : Public Space and Parking
Québec City, Québec, Canada
Design: DAOUST LESTAGE + ABCP Team, daoustlestage.com, abcparchitecture.com
Text: Christian Bergeron. Photos: Stéphane Groleau, Jean-Philippe Labrie.
LET THE FUN BEGIN!
A major land reclamation company in Québec, where this project of DAOUST LES-TAGE + ABCP has transformed a former parking lot into a modern and diversified pub-lic square.
Cars are now finding refuge in the parking lot built on the edge of the eld.
In the redesigned space, passers-by can enjoy the sun on the lawns or wooden platforms, or admire the ubiquitous water, where the river is more accessible than ever, or water games that punctuate the site.
In addition to providing a convenient and elegant multi-level parking lot, topped by a green roof, the project has really given a new purpose to this parcel of the city.
› Visit: Place des Canotiers
40 Rue Dalhousie, Québec, QC G1K 4B2
▪ Parc Riverain Espace Fillion, l’Ange-Gardien
L’Ange-Gardien, Quebec, Canada
Design: François Courville, landscape architect, William Leblanc /Coarchitecture/LGT
francoiscourville.com
Text: Suzanne Laliberté. Photos: François Courville.
HISTORIC BANKS OPEN TO ANY WIND
The Parc riverain Espace Fillion, in L’Ange-Gardien, provides citizens with a renewed privileged access to the shores of the Saint-Lawrence with its terrace designed to wel-come various events.
Its large marquise of steel and crossed-laminated timber offers a light silhouette in the riparian passageway. The suspended belvedere walkway cantilevered over the river is reminiscent of the ice bridge, the historic seasonal link with the other shore.
The appreciation of the coast has a far-reaching impact here, an elegant gesture creat-ing a conversation between history and the territory. This small municipality dared to create a design that is in line with great architectural projects.
› Visit: Parc riverain Espace Fillion
6300 Boulevard Sainte-Anne, L’Ange-Gardien, QC G0A 2K0