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Vitrine étudiante, École Polytechnique de Montréal

GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 9th edition

The aim of the renovation of the École Polytechnique de Montréal’s Vitrine étudiante, or student zone, was to create a warm, convivial and distinctive space, and wood, naturally, emerged as a material by which to achieve this. It took form as an immense, wood structure, whose undulating shapes evoked a billowing sail and underscored the notion of movement in this high-traffic location. The side-by-side wood panels create a pattern of waves that seem to ripple in the wind. The effect is enhanced by the lighting defining shapes on the surfaces. Building this artful configuration was a technical feat. The 641 irregularly shaped boards, whose acoustical properties also contribute to attenuating the ambient noise, are attached to a removable system. They run down the walls to the floor, where they become seating. Thus used as both furniture and a ceiling treatment, wood brings a coherence and identity to the Vitrine étudiante, its warmth providing a striking contrast with the exposed concrete in the adjacent area. The jury remarked on the ingenious use of wood to create a flowing, organic shape. It also noted the structural rhythm that went beyond a simple technical use of wood, itself becoming a shape within the space.

The project in images

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