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Institut Quantique
By : Saucier + Perrotte Architectes
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Architecture : Grand Winner
Categories : Public Building / Higher Education & Research Building : Platinum Winner
The new Pavilion is a representation of high-level science and its link with humans and nature. The pavilion is inspired by the cryostat—a physics instrument allowing cryogenic temperatures to be obtained by using the thermal inertia of a very cold liquid—which appears to float within its structure. This machine is symbolic of all the possibilities and intrigue of science for those who observe it from the outside.
The ground floor is encircled by a concrete enclosure which houses and protects the quantum research laboratories that are sensitive to vibrations and magnetic fields. This concrete “core” anchors the building and serves as a base to receive the massive wooden structure of the upper floors. The mineral and robust foundation contrasts with the crystalline envelope of the levels above. The appearance of the building is thus strongly characterized by this rich material opposition: the raw and the gleaming.
The upper floors have wood and concrete composite floors with a CLT (cross-laminated timber) load-bearing wall structure. The reflective metal envelope is punctured by huge curtain wall windows that offer spectacular views of the campus environment. These openings sometimes host offices for researchers, and other times, common workspaces. They also act as a showcase for the impressive wooden structural system, which skillfully complements the apparent simplicity of the metal facades.
A large internal void crystallizes the desire of researchers to obtain meeting places favoring improvised creative exchanges. The multiplicity of informal spaces gravitates around this atrium. Great diversity in the typology of these areas makes it possible to support a variety of uses, ranging from the agora for large events, to meeting zones for small groups in the sub-spaces. The fenestrations bring natural light into these public environments, encouraging lively informal encounters.
Collaboration
Architect : Saucier + Perrotte Architectes
