Lab-École Gatineau - Agrandissement École Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau

Discipline : Architecture

Categories : Institutional, Civic & Education Building / School & Preschool Education Building : Gold certification

Categories : Special Award / Architecture + Color & Atmospheres : Gold certification

Context

Resulting from the Lab-École competitions aimed at rethinking the design of elementary schools, our transformation of École Pierre Elliott Trudeau in Gatineau proposes, above all, a reflection on renewing our existing schools.

The project expands the typology of the traditional "L"-shaped school to complete the quadrangle and organize spaces around an interior courtyard. Located where the former parking lot once stood, this courtyard becomes a privileged and intimate outdoor space for contemplation, play, and learning. This architectural gesture connects the spaces dedicated to classrooms, physical activity, and collective uses within an open layout that offers genuine flexible gathering and learning areas.

The site is organized around three landscape vectors that intersect the building. These lines — sometimes interior, sometimes exterior — establish a dialogue between the circulation axes running through the school and the surrounding landscape, forming a cohesive whole in which activity spaces receive adapted treatments according to their different uses.

Layout

The program layout is designed around a central welcoming space as the heart of the school. Composed of large bleachers, a multipurpose holistic space, the library, the dining room, and the main kitchen, this hub becomes a true point of convergence, open to and in constant dialogue with the inner courtyard. Grouped within the same sector, these spaces form a dynamic living environment that strengthens the sense of belonging and identity — one shared by the school, the daycare service, and the wider community alike.

The learning spaces are connected to this heart of the school via a continuous circulation path that integrates quieter areas for focused activities as well as collaborative spaces of varied shapes and configurations, adaptable to different uses. This diversity enriches the pedagogical experience and supports teachers' creativity by offering multiple types of learning environments.

Architectural Identity

Materiality plays an essential role in the project's identity, bringing the school back to the forefront of the community. The new timber structure in the gymnasium and at the central bleachers highlights the gathering spaces, contributing to a warm atmosphere while expressing the project's sustainability initiatives. The addition is distinguished by a clean, refined volume animated by a turquoise banding that wraps its façade. A generous cantilever marks the main entrance and asserts the transformation of the site.

A topography integrated into the building's geometry creates a bridge toward the inner courtyard, becoming a playful element that invites movement, relaxation, and gathering. The contrast between the wood finish and the existing brick offers a welcoming, intimate setting conducive to interaction. As part of this transformation, the inner courtyard becomes the living backdrop that enriches the daily life of the school's occupants.

The project in images