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Musée de la santé Armand-Frappier
By : DMA et TLA Architectes en collaboration
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Public Building / Cultural Building : Silver Certification
Categories : Special Award / Architecture + Stairs : Platinum Winner
This project consists of the expansion of the Cosmodome to accommodate the Musée de la santé Armand-Frappier.
Architectural concept – a radiating geometry
The museum is located on a circulation axis that starts at the main entrance of the Cosmodome and creates a new perspective towards the South.
Its radiating geometry comes from a foyer located at the entrance of the Cosmodome which becomes the new hub of the museum. This geometry recalls both the gravitational links of a satellite with its planet or of an electron with its nucleus, in order to refer respectively to the main themes of each of the two museums, i.e., space exploration and sciences related to human health. The architectural design brings the two museums together under a common and unifying theme that organizes the main conceptual elements into a coherent and renewed whole.
The spatial organization oriented around the circulation axis encourages exchanges between different types of users. This largely glazed section provides a luminous breakthrough organizing its main functions. It also leads to a circular staircase linking the different floors and constitutes the DNA of its spatial functioning. The visual breaks towards the different levels arouse the curiosity and incites the visitor to discover the complex in an organic and non-linear museum experience.
Materiality and the museal context
The exterior materials are in continuity with the Cosmodome and the result is a building with two perfectly integrated pavilions. Whether it is through the large linear glass roof supporting the main circulation axis, through the windows of the exhibition rooms, or even through the oculus crowning the main staircase, natural light is always abundant. This light is regulated in such a way that it does not interfere with the exhibitions, but rather enhances their value.
The interior design of the museum is modern and relatively neutral, giving full latitude and visual priority to the layout of the exhibits. This strategy contributes to the great flexibility of the space, an essential criterion in the museum context of the project. Since the permanent and temporary exhibitions are changing and their content renewable, it was essential to be restrained in the design and to advocate for neutrality and purity. In order to bring a little warmth, there are a few touches of natural wood, notably in the reception area and on the ceiling of one of the exhibition rooms, as well as in the furniture. The result is a modern, timeless and very bright interior design.
Sustainable Architecture
The museum is targeting a LEED BD + C NC V4 Gold certification. The building\\\\\\\\’s outstanding energy performance allows the client to minimize maintenance costs. From the beginning of the project, the objective was to exceed the National Energy Code for Buildings.
Our team is very proud to have contributed to the development of the Musée de la santé Armand-Frappier, which aims to broaden the scientific literacy of the general public, especially young people, and thereby allowing them to take a more critical look at the health and environmental issues of today and tomorrow.
Collaboration
Engineering : Grenier Expert conseil
Engineering : Mécanique Navada
Landscape Architecture : Rousseau Lefebvre
