Roberval Courthouse

Discipline : Architecture

Categories : Institutional, Civic & Education Building / Government & Civic Building : Gold certification

The Roberval Courthouse is set within an exceptional natural site, at the heart of the historic downtown, at the meeting point between a heritage urban fabric and the lakeshore landscape of Lac Saint-Jean. This context revealed both strong potential and complex challenges for the project: restoring a fragile century-old building, repairing past interventions that had severed its relationship with the lake, modernizing judicial spaces, integrating a substantial expansion without compromising the building’s symbolic value, and improving accessibility and security.

The intervention is based on a clear organization of volumes, distinguishing the restored heritage building from the contemporary addition. This composition addresses security requirements and the separation of circulation paths while preserving the architectural integrity of the existing structure. The restored building accommodates public functions and the main civil courtroom, while the criminal and youth courtrooms, along with secured corridors, are situated within the new volume.

The main hall, open across three levels, forms the civic heart of the complex. Aligned with the turret of the central pediment, it extends the historic axis of Roberval Street and opens at grade onto a public square facing the lake, made possible by the demolition of the former prison annexes. On the lakeside, a large opening in the historic façade marks the waterfront entrance and initiates the public sequence.

This spatial sequence is designed to favour intuitive wayfinding. Framed views to the exterior, towards the public square and Louise deLorme’s artwork Le passé du futur, along with a clear reading of the volumes and interior sightlines guide movement. The waiting areas, oriented towards the lake, provide a calming environment. The courtrooms are grouped on the main floor (piano nobile), ensuring efficient flow management and a legible organisation. The materiality, combining local granite, aluminium, and glass, supports this architectural organisation and expresses the dialogue between heritage and contemporary intervention.

The project in images