[0:15] Hello everyone. Allow me to introduce myself:
Amélie Turgeon, architect at Lemay.
[0:18] I am here today with Éric Pelletier, architect
and Senior Design Partner
[0:23] at Lemay, and Patricia Lussier, landscape architect
[0:29] and Senior Design Director, also a partner
at Lemay.
[0:32] We have with us, seated, Claude Décarie, who
is an electro-mechanical engineer,
[0:38] and, at the end, the Vice-President of Strategic
Projects at BPA.
[0:42] Then we have Jake Estoc, who is a structural
engineer
[0:46] and a partner at Élément, and we have Sergio
Callocchia,
[0:51] Senior Director of the Altus Group.
[0:54] So thank you very much for giving us the opportunity
to work
[0:57] on this magnificent project. I will now give
the floor to Éric.
[0:59] Just before I comment, I know that it's late
for you all,
[1:03] so we're going to do our best to keep you interested
until the end.
[1:07] And Amélie has a bag full of cookies and other
things to nibble on for everyone.
[1:11] Snacks.
[1:13] A buffet.
[1:15] Yes, it's true, we're going to be a little
undisciplined.
[1:18] I can't touch it. Plus, you told me.
[1:20] Sorry about that.
[1:21] Good evening everyone. We're really pleased
to be here
[1:23] with you this evening to present our proposal.
Our proposal for-
[1:28] So, I'm really happy.
[1:31] And we're all really pleased to be here today
to present our proposal,
[1:33] which we've called a reinvented landscape.
[1:36] You'll see, it's a project we've thought through
with all our soul
[1:38] and all our hearts.
[1:39] You know, designing a cultural centre, or a
library,
[1:43] or an exhibition hall is not
[1:45] a simple thing. It's not something you can
do in a rush.
[1:48] These are extremely complicated projects to
develop.
[1:51] Why? Because there are many things to think
about.
[1:53] And there are many conditions for the success
of this type of project.
[1:57] The conditions for the success of these types
of projects
[2:00] must first and foremost take one thing into
account: the users.
[2:03] Because these are public buildings. And these
are the most public buildings
[2:06] that we, as architects, have the chance to
work on.
[2:09] And that's a big responsibility for us.
[2:11] So, to achieve this, we need to understand
our users.
[2:14] The users are young people, and less young
people. Those who can't read,
[2:19] the elderly, families, mothers,
[2:23] fathers,
[2:24] teenagers who are a little older. Those teenagers,
who we want to interact with.
[2:29] We need to understand the users, which is essential
for us,
[2:32] but we also need to understand the site.
[2:34] And that's one of the first conditions for
success: understanding the site.
[2:38] Building a library or cultural centre in a
town like
[2:41] Beaconsfield is not the same as building one
in Montreal or Quebec City.
[2:45] We need to address the site.
[2:47] And, here, we are truly in the presence of
an exceptional site.
[2:49] A unique site.
[2:51] Yes, there is Centennial Park, which is absolutely
magnificent.
[2:54] We went to relax there earlier, just before
the presentation,
[2:58] to watch the sunset, just to get rid of the
last bit of stress that we had.
[3:02] So, it's an exceptional site, and it's important
to understand that.
[3:06] It's also a
[3:06] site that needs to be redeveloped along with
the marina.
[3:09] It's a site
[3:10] that the population needs to reclaim. And we
saw it as a great opportunity,
[3:14] an opportunity to create something, something
meaningful.
[3:19] Our project has become a link.
[3:21] A link between these two moments, between Centennial
Park
[3:26] and the marina site. And that link is important
for us.
[3:30] It's the one that will mark the transition
to a new era,
[3:33] not only for the cultural centre, but also
for the community of Beaconsfield.
[3:38] This reflection on the site,
[3:41] we need to understand it. And what struck us
and still strikes us,
[3:44] and what strikes us every time we come to the
site,
[3:46] are these magnificent trees, this view, these
openings towards the river,
[3:51] this look and the presence of vegetation throughout
the sector.
[3:56] And that, for us, was something important.
[3:59] It's something we had to preserve, because
that's also what makes a site unique.
[4:03] That's what will make this project
[4:04] singular, that it will address this site only.
[4:08] And that is the greatest condition for success,
[4:10] one of the greatest, in any case. Addressing
a project to its site.
[4:14] And our first thoughts, inevitably,
[4:18] began with one thing: the landscape.
[4:21] Because we had to forget ourselves, as architects,
[4:23] and leave all the space to the landscape, which
was absolutely grandiose.
[4:32] So the landscape experience
[4:35] of the Centennial Park site and the marina
has been transformed;
[4:40] we've reinvented the landscape to rediscover
this site.
[4:46] So, as you can see, the building, as Éric
mentioned,
[4:48] is embedded
[4:50] a little on the boundary of the two lots, so
there's
[4:54] a desire to unify the whole site.
[4:57] So the forested area, the mature trees, the
mature forest,
[5:01] which is, like, protected and even enhanced
by plant strata
[5:05] to ensure the long-term survival of the park
forest,
[5:09] and the marina area, which is also being regreened
[5:13] and enhanced with biodiversity, that will be
integrated,
[5:15] to add to the appropriation of the site.
[5:19] We've connected with the neighbourhoods, we've
[5:21] opened up the views towards
[5:26] the Lake Saint-Louis, and now we're allowing
a certain reconnection
[5:29] with the site, which allows a reconnection
with the whole.
[5:33] So, to ensure a user experience, as Éric mentioned,
for the users,
[5:38] how do we go about multiplying the moments,
the moments of appropriation
[5:41] and making sure that we come to manage the
programming,
[5:45] the functionality of the site?
[5:47] We created routes through the site to connect
with active mobility,
[5:52] to connect with the woodland, the marina,
[5:55] the new cultural centre building and Lake Saint-Louis.
[5:59] So, the first route is the Civic Promenade,
[6:03] which connects with the civic hub at City Hall,
[6:06] where we are at this moment, which crosses
the site
[6:09] and connects with the main hall of the cultural
centre, to cross it
[6:14] and to lead to the marina, offering unique
occasions
[6:17] for the community to come together
[6:20] for either small-scale theatrical experiences,
[6:23] film screenings and small community get-togethers.
[6:28] We also have the Cultural Promenade, which
has been added,
[6:32] which is the main pedestrian-cyclist route
to the main entrance
[6:36] of the cultural centre and also creates, like,
an opportunity
[6:41] to create a promenade integrating works of
art,
[6:46] historical interpretations of the different
strata
[6:49] of the site's evolution, and even, potentially,
[6:52] to install artefacts from the demolition
[6:56] of the Centennial Building, which is about
to be demolished, with furniture that is accessible
to all
[7:01] and modular, and with the potential to integrate
[7:04] outdoor reading areas in connection with the
library.
[7:08] The Cultural Promenade criss-crosses throughout
the entire site.
[7:11] Then, there's the Recreational Promenade,
[7:12] which is the most family-friendly, if you like,
because
[7:17] it joins
[7:18] a promenade on the roof of the building, reaches
a belvedere overlooking
[7:22] the entire space, and descends to allow
[7:26] the appropriation of the transformation of
the ditch into a dry river,
[7:30] water management, rainwater management, and
also where we have the play areas
[7:34] that relate to the interior programming of
the library.
[7:39] Then, there's the Marina Promenade, which connects
[7:41] with the parking lot and the landscaped ditches;
[7:44] it also connects to the new harbour office
[7:46] and the new Boardwalk Promenade, which is located
at the edge
[7:50] of the protected area where we have the marina's
secure docks,
[7:54] and also an access to small boats near the
beach, right next door.
[7:58] The Nautical Promenade will allow
[8:00] yachtsmen to launch their boats and
[8:05] pass through the harbour office, and the Events
Promenade
[8:09] will define a larger-scale events zone,
[8:12] where temporary equipment can be installed,
[8:16] and it will also leave room
[8:20] for freestyle activities in the grassy area.
[8:24] Then, there's the Ice Promenade, which reflects
[8:27] the site's four-season potential
[8:30] with an ice walkway and winter events
[8:34] of all kinds.
[8:37] So, as you can see, the landscape is very important
to us,
[8:39] and this reflection took place on several levels,
[8:43] and slowly the first sketches began to appear.
[8:46] It's one of the first.
[8:48] Well, it must not mean anything to you, that's
normal,
[8:50] but, in this sketch, there are plenty of emotions.
[8:52] It's the first emotion,
[8:53] the first feeling of a place.
[8:55] It's the one that tells us where we want to
go.
[8:57] And that's where ideas start to emerge.
[9:00] And that's where the thinking begins.
[9:02] On reflection and on what we have to do, too,
[9:04] as architects, because we have to insert a
building.
[9:06] The project's success will be one where architecture
and landscape
[9:10] come together.
[9:11] And, here, we're talking about the conditions
for the success of the project,
[9:14] and what is very specific, here,
[9:16] is the right gesture. With a well-calibrated
gesture in terms of architecture,
[9:20] or a gesture where the landscape will dominate.
[9:22] Because what we really want is to preserve
this landscape,
[9:25] to retain its uniqueness.
[9:27] And the solution, we found it, is simply to
lift
[9:30] the landscape and slide
[9:32] the centre underneath, through these landscape
strata.
[9:37] This allows us to have a
[9:37] project that blurs the boundaries between architecture
and landscape.
[9:41] Ce n'est plus un projet d'architecture, c'est
un projet de paysage.
[9:44] Ce n'est pas un projet de paysage, c'est un
projet d'architecture.
[9:47] The two are intertwined.
[9:48] That's what we wanted because that's what we
find interesting about this site.
[9:51] That's what we think is relevant.
[9:53] But a large building that is only on one level,
because that's another
[9:55] challenge we've taken on, keeping a single
storey, is big.
[9:58] And to reduce the scale of the building, we
decided to break it up a bit.
[10:02] This allowed us to take one of the wings and
fit it into the park.
[10:06] And then, we create an interface that's a little
bigger,
[10:08] with interactions that are a little more important.
[10:11] And another condition for success is to create
interactions.
[10:15] Create interactions
[10:16] with users, but also with strollers.
[10:19] We came to split the building into two buildings,
and we said to ourselves: "People
[10:23] will be able to walk through the building,
whether they need to go there or not.”
[10:27] And that's where we create interactions; impromptu
visits.
[10:30] This allows us to have
[10:31] a building that offers a marina-side facade.
[10:35] The building has all the facades, but no rear
facade.
[10:38] The marina-side facade features one of the
entrances inserted between the two volumes.
[10:43] The facade on the park side is also a main
facade, which also has
[10:47] a central entrance that visitors are invited
to enter through.
[10:52] So, we have a building that is permeable, a
building that is open and accessible
[10:55] to all.
[10:57] This space, central for us, is the hall.
[10:59] It is the heart of the project.
[11:01] It's the space through which we'll be able
to cross. It's also the space
[11:04] in which we'll be able to access all the project's
functions,
[11:08] but, above all, it's the space where we'll
find the reception area.
[11:11] And that, too, is important.
[11:13] Finding one's way around a project, whatever
its size,
[11:16] is one of the criteria for accessibility,
[11:18] but it's also a criterion for the appropriation
of the space.
[11:21] But we felt it wasn't enough.
[11:22] We decided to refract the building,
[11:25] and what this allowed us to do was open up
views.
[11:27] From the heart of the entrance hall, you have
a 360-degree view.
[11:30] of the site. There's a view of the Beaconsfield
Boulevard,
[11:34] a view of the marina and the river, a view
of the park, and a view
[11:38] of the marina plateau, as well.
[11:39] So, you can see everywhere. And you can find
your way around the entire project.
[11:44] That's what allowed us to have
[11:45] a building where the layout simply divided.
[11:50] The lower part contains the library.
[11:53] It is projected into the wooded area, it is
projected towards the marina.
[11:56] We see both.
[11:57] We're in touch with the site.
[11:59] The upper part is used for administrative activities
[12:03] and some meeting rooms.
[12:04] And the other part, the last wing, is the wing
that is reserved
[12:07] for animation.
[12:11] So there are four sectors involved in bringing
the hall to life.
[12:15] The first, the bistro, is near the main entrance,
[12:19] close to the parking lot, so it's accessible
at all times,
[12:22] even when the library is closed.
[12:26] The second element
[12:27] that adds to the liveliness of the hall is
the chute, the outdoor book chute,
[12:30] which is located near the main entrance, so
it is accessible 24 hours a day.
[12:36] It is by the loan counter.
[12:38] We could even add a door
[12:40] to provide a more direct link to the
[12:43] multi-service counter.
[12:44] The third element is the multi-purpose room,
which is a closed room,
[12:47] but with windows overlooking the hall.
[12:49] We could imagine it opening onto the hall for
larger events.
[12:54] And one of the most important elements is the
multi-service counter.
[12:58] So this one is on the library side.
[13:01] It faces the main entrance.
[13:03] It's close to the animation sector.
[13:08] All these elements are interchangeable.
[13:10] Our proposal today is based on our perception
[13:13] of your needs.
[13:15] It's a solution that makes it possible to have
a reception desk
[13:18] with people who work there, who can inform,
help
[13:22] and have a good view of the whole cultural
centre.
[13:26] If we look at the library side, the first sector,
the preschool sector,
[13:29] which is right next to the multiservice counter,
which is adjacent
[13:33] to the children's collection sector with its
play corner.
[13:39] And on the forested side, we have the animation
room area,
[13:43] which is connected to the outdoors, so outdoor
reading spaces.
[13:48] We could even imagine school groups
[13:51] that have been taught under the courtyard.
[13:54] It's linked to the fun trail that Patricia
explained to us.
[13:57] I'd even go so far as to say that my children,
who are there,
[14:02] are already very fond of the cultural centre,
[14:05] and my daughter would to say to me: "When can
we go there?"
[14:08] So, I'm hoping one day.
[14:11] Then there's the teen collection, with the
computer room
[14:16] and the creative room. At the junction of this
sector
[14:19] with the youth sector, we could find a satellite
counter.
[14:22] Otherwise, at the far end, we have the adult
collection,
[14:26] dotted with lots of small, more intimate reading
areas,
[14:29] all with beautiful views of the outside, and,
at the far end,
[14:32] the large reading room, which is a quiet, contemplative,
[14:36] very warm room that really benefits from a
diversity of landscapes.
[14:40] So, both the forested side and the maritime
side.
[14:43] If we go back to the administrative sector
with the outdoor book chute,
[14:48] with the administrative sector, which is very
versatile, flexible,
[14:51] able to adapt over time. At the far end, we
have the support areas
[14:54] with the staff rest room overlooking a small
indoor garden,
[14:59] and if you go back to the hall, you'll find
the meeting rooms,
[15:02] which are accessible from the foyer, which
are visible from the hall,
[15:06] and which are even accessible for the administration
sector.
[15:09] And it's in this sector that we could even
imagine
[15:11] another satellite counter for the animation
sector.
[15:15] So, on the entertainment side, at the far end,
we have room 2-A, which benefits from
[15:19] beautiful northern light, ideal for art. Otherwise,
there's the sanitary block, changing rooms
[15:23] and finally the multipurpose room, which can
open onto the foyer.
[15:28] So the large central circulation area can open
onto the hall and
[15:32] also onto the boreal forecourt, which is on
the forested side.
[15:38] The boreal forecourt
[15:40] is truly immersive. It has lots of greenery,
and it is on the forested side.
[15:44] We're entering a truly lush, green space, full
of biodiversity.
[15:49] We can also see the transformation of the ditch
into a dry river,
[15:55] a surface water management element, a sponge
park
[15:57] that provides a very special entrance in connection
[16:00] with everything that happens in the mature
forest.
[16:04] And we can see it here, precisely, the space
that runs alongside the building.
[16:08] You can see the boreal forecourt, which is
linked to the multipurpose hall,
[16:12] allowing cafés and small events to be held
on the forested side.
[16:17] Then there's the facade along the Beaconsfield
Boulevard,
[16:22] where there's the potential for a natural amphitheatre
[16:24] that can be used to project onto the blind
wall there,
[16:27] gatherings that could take place facing that
very street,
[16:32] in connection with the neighbourhoods, and
the roof that allows
[16:36] universal accessibility, that allows the juxtaposition
of architecture
[16:41] and landscape with slopes that respect the
code,
[16:43] universal accessibility, the standards to give
everyone access
[16:47] to this experience of landscape and architecture.
[16:52] The waterfront forecourt, which is on
[16:55] the marina side, is more urban, linked to the
parking lot.
[16:58] The main entrance to the cultural centre
[17:02] has been fitted out with furniture, and potentially
also,
[17:07] as Amélie mentioned, a terrace-bistro area
linked to the bistro.
[17:12] And, as Éric mentioned, this opening, which
really slides into
[17:17] the cultural centre, can be extended
[17:19] into the parking lot to host winter markets,
summer markets
[17:23] and various events, fairs, of all kinds.
[17:28] As you can see, as you can really see,
[17:30] our project, the way
[17:31] we've developed it, is really a project where
architecture
[17:33] and landscape are always in dialogue, no matter
where you find yourself.
[17:36] And, for us, that was important.
[17:37] This dialogue between architecture and landscape
[17:40] will take place in an improvised public space
[17:44] that will be used.
[17:45] It also takes place inside, where you find
yourself totally immersed,
[17:49] no matter where you are.
[17:51] The widths of the building were carefully calibrated
[17:53] to ensure that when people went inside, they
could have access
[17:56] to this view, to this unique view.
[17:59] And for us, that was important.
[18:00] But it was also important
[18:01] that the atmosphere be relaxed. That's another
condition for the success of a project.
[18:05] The comfort of users when they are inside is
essential.
[18:09] We need to feel good, we need to find ourselves.
[18:10] There is a film-maker, Wim Wenders, who said
that places are
[18:14] magical places, magical places to find yourself
and get lost in.
[18:18] And that's more or less what we want to do.
[18:19] It's getting lost in a book, it's getting lost
in contemplating
[18:22] an arriving sailboat or in watching the children
play in the park.
[18:26] And, to do that, the whole project has to be
calibrated.
[18:29] We decided to reduce the scale of the project.
[18:30] We didn't want to have a monumental project.
[18:32] We want a project on the scale of a pavilion
in a park.
[18:35] And one of the first things we did was to take
the wing of the library
[18:39] and reduce its volume, and gently follow the
slope.
[18:43] The second was to take the administrative part
[18:46] and extend it, and connect it to the landscape.
[18:48] And that's what gave us the opportunity to
mix
[18:51] the landscape, which embeds on the roof of
the building, and to create,
[18:56] and once again, to blur that boundary between
architecture and landscape.
[19:00] The structure of the building is made entirely
out of wood.
[19:04] For us, it was important to have an all-wood
building.
[19:06] We are in an exceptional forest.
[19:08] We couldn't imagine doing this project with
steel or concrete.
[19:11] So we set ourselves this constraint.
[19:13] The walls are made of CLT, so they are load-bearing
walls.
[19:17] The ceil-
[19:19] Excuse me.
[19:19] The ceiling is CLT, so it's really, it's expressed.
[19:22] This structure, it is expressed, it is present,
[19:25] it contributes to the warm effect that we want
to create.
[19:27] And the tectonics of the project require no
intervention
[19:32] other than leaving the materials as they are.
[19:34] Because the real star of the place isn't the
architecture,
[19:37] it's the landscape.
[19:39] And that's what we wanted to do.
[19:42] 1 minute 30
[19:45] Yes. And beyond all that, for us, it was important
[19:49] to have developed a sense of pride throughout
the site.
[19:53] and to have a reflection, also, at the level
of universal development.
[19:56] We're aiming for a carbon-neutral project,
nothing less, within budget,
[20:00] and that's the strategy we've put in place.
[20:02] There were choices we decided to make.
[20:04] We're not far off the mark,
[20:05] but you have to work with the customer to get
there,
[20:07] but that's part of the approach we're trying
to put in place.
[20:10] And we have to think about a site in terms
of that too.
[20:14] We need to think about the site, not just the
building, but to have a site
[20:17] where we have intelligent water management,
[20:20] where we have an intelligent plant regeneration
strategy,
[20:23] and where we think in terms of universal accessibility
[20:26] and inclusivity for all.
[20:28] All this to create a project that will address,
in the future,
[20:32] this facade, this facade to the marina, but
also this facade to the park,
[20:36] which will become this kind of link. A preface
to a life to come, or a preface to
[20:41] moments that you will have later in this cultural
centre.
[20:45] It's a project that creates a link between
the City, the boulevard,
[20:49] this place, this park, but also something unique:
[20:53] This riverside landscape is a key element.
[20:56] And, for us,
[20:57] that's what we're proposing. It's to develop
a sense
[21:00] of pride for the villagers, for the people
who live here,
[21:04] a sense of pride, of belonging
[21:06] and to say that everyone is welcome in this
project.
[21:09] And this is achieved through the various mechanisms
we are trying to put in place.
[21:13] Just 30 seconds.
[21:15] Not allowed.
[21:17] Questions?
[21:28] Ha ! Ha ! Ha !
[21:29] Ha ! Ha !
[21:41] Thank you very much.
[21:41] It was very well presented,
[21:45] and it answers a lot of questions, in fact,
[21:47] but even at that, I have questions.
[21:50] So, I really appreciate the integration of
the building into the landscape.
[21:55] The landscape being the fifteen acres of land
and the canopy.
[22:00] I really like the idea of combining building
and landscape.
[22:04] You've made a lot of
[22:06] very interesting points.
[22:07] I think you've understood the landscape
[22:11] and you've understood the location.
[22:14] The concern for
[22:16] the user experience on several scales is something
that affects us,
[22:20] and you've touched on all the demographics
too.
[22:23] It's very interesting.
[22:25] We talked a lot about landscapes and zones
for reading
[22:31] and zones for experiences, the experiential
[22:33] in the landscape, and the different types of
promenades in all the areas.
[22:38] So it's a unification of the whole lot.
[22:41] There's no sense of separation
[22:44] between the marina lot and the Centennial Park
lot. In fact,
[22:47] there's an integration.
[22:49] And I'm not trying to be a positive critic
of all this,
[22:53] but I do have some real questions.
[22:54] The building blends into
[22:58] the topography. Which is really interesting.
[23:04] For me, it's
[23:05] in relation to the extensibility of the green
roof, because it's an extensive roof
[23:08] where you can stroll.
[23:10] We saw a sketch - is there a promenade?  Apart
from a promenade
[23:15] what else is planned?
[23:17] As a place for programmes, as a place for contemplation?
[23:20] There was no elaboration on this,
[23:22] but what do you plan to do?
[23:26] But, as we said, at the far end, we plan to
have a belvedere
[23:30] with, potentially, areas to sit and just contemplate
the landscape.
[23:34] When you're elevated to the height of the canopy,
[23:37] you really have an unobstructed view of Lake
Saint-Louis.
[23:41] The walk is accessible to everyone, so it's
really a question
[23:46] of getting up to a lookout point and then seeing
the landscape from above.
[23:50] It's a very minimalist experience.
[23:52] It's really about arriving at the end and then
[23:56] overlooking the whole site.
[23:59] While you're here.
[24:00] ...(inaudible)...
[24:03] ... vegetal, what do you mean by that?
[24:05] Well, there are areas, particularly near the
marina,
[24:09] and there are even areas in the forested sector,
[24:12] where we'd like to bring in different plant
strata
[24:16] and, of course, characterize the trees
[24:19] because some may be in poor condition.
[24:21] There are mature trees.
[24:22] So it's really about ensuring the long-term
survival of the forest,
[24:26] reforesting certain areas that are less wooded,
[24:29] and trying to extend this to the marina area
to ensure
[24:34] biodiversity and a balance throughout the site.
[24:37] So trying to bring in all the layers, the plant
strata, to allow that to happen.
[24:42] Thank you.
[24:46] Thank you very much for
[24:47] your presentation. It was really interesting.
[24:50] My first question also relates to the belvedere.
[24:55] I'm a grandfather and I have three little broods.
I'd like
[24:59] to know what safety measures they're going
to install there,
[25:02] because, obviously, we want to avoid trampling.
[25:06] It's not a playground in itself.
[25:09] So I'd like you to tell us a bit about that,
please.
[25:11] That's an excellent question.
[25:12] It's something we've already done in a number
of projects.
[25:15] So the idea is to provide access to a new facade.
[25:17] Of course, the promenade is fenced in.
[25:20] So people have no access other than to
[25:22] the fenced-in area. Generally speaking, we
even raise
[25:26] the railings slightly above the standards
[25:30] to prevent people from going beyond them.
[25:32] So it gives us an additional, vertical, landscape
promenade
[25:36] that leads us on to the belvedere, which gives
us a unique view of the lake or the river.
[25:41] We'll never agree on the term.
[25:43] I always say that, the river, but it gives
us this view.
[25:46] But it's a secure zone. It's extremely important.
Perfect.
[25:49] My second question is mainly about the sanitary
facilities.
[25:53] We've noticed, and I'm not the only one, that
all the toilets
[25:58] are located in the northern part of the entire
building.
[26:02] So the distances involved
[26:04] when you're in the far south can seem pretty
far.
[26:07] So, is it possible to separate them or create
[26:12] toilets that are a little more
[26:14] spread out?
[26:19] Absolutely.
[26:20] In fact, there are some toilet areas
[26:22] that are located in the library. So we made
sure we had
[26:25] accessible toilets dotted around the library.
[26:29] There are a few on the side...
[26:30] There is one on the preschool side.
[26:32] There are two that are even closer to the sector
[26:35] of the entire collection. Which are two accessible
toilets.
[26:38] There would be...
[26:40] We've even made a sanitary block,
[26:41] with a toilet block that's a little further
away,
[26:44] it would be easily possible to bring them closer
to the hall.
[26:48] An accessible toilet block, even, closer to
the hall,
[26:53] without any problems.
[26:54] And, even, in the library, if it's desirable,
[26:56] we have a volume, which is a full volume, where
there are the IT
[27:01] and creations sectors, which could also have
[27:05] a sanitary block accessible there. No problem
at all.
[27:08] Thank you very much.
[27:15] Yes, thank you. Thank you for a good presentation.
[27:19] I really enjoyed the promenades that were proposed.
[27:24] I think we can imagine, in the future, the
installation
[27:27] of various small
[27:30] islands along these promenades.
[27:32] Now... And also,
[27:35] I really appreciated your mention of winter
use,
[27:39] because this site is also used in winter.
[27:43] You are proposing an amphitheatre
[27:45] on the north side of the building.
[27:49] Is this amphitheatre
[27:50] included in your estimate?
[27:53] No, it's a proposal. No, but it depends on-
Are we talking about the natural amphitheatre?
[27:58] The one in front?
[27:59] Yes, yes, yes.
[28:01] Yes, it's included.
[28:03] So this would be the place
[28:05] where we would put on shows and activities,
[28:08] for example, during Canada Day
[28:13] celebrations?
[28:15] Would this be the place for that?
[28:16] No, actually, that would be really...
[28:18] In fact, the way
[28:19] we thought about it, it was really for small-scale
events.
[28:22] So everything that's really juxtaposed to the
buildings
[28:26] are little agoras,
[28:27] little places for smaller-scale events.
[28:31] Then, the amphitheatre, really for the event
zone,
[28:37] the large-scale temporary stage
[28:38] is actually on the park side.
[28:42] Maybe I can bring the... That's it.
[28:47] In that zone.
[28:48] Exactly.
[28:49] So it would be in the park,
[28:52] along the events trail.
[28:55] OK, that's good. Because, of course, the orientation
towards the lake is important.
[29:00] We have moonrises in the early
[29:03] evening on the lake, so it's very appreciated,
[29:06] when there are events, to have these shows
at the same time.
[29:09] I also think that the proposed location is
an interesting one.
[29:13] If I may, just on that point.
[29:18] If I may, just on that point.
[29:21] There is indeed a larger one here.
[29:24] We have the boreal forecourt with an agora
integrated into the building. At the back-
[29:28] What you've seen here at the back or the front,
we thought we could
[29:32] integrate a small agora for smaller activities,
[29:35] including screenings. Because we have an area
that we thought
[29:37] we could leave clear for outside projections.
[29:40] And then there's the river forecourt, which
is relatively large, and the esplanade,
[29:44] which is here, which is connected.
[29:46] So we made sure that we had different activities,
different scales
[29:49] to bring the site to life according to the
City's needs.
[29:54] I noticed in your
[29:56] documentation that the paths were either concrete
or paved.
[30:02] Have you considered other materials, or is
it just paved?
[30:07] Actually, no. For the promenades, we've planned
[30:11] them all in stone dust, and the paths
[30:14] and forecourts would be paved to make them
more resistant.
[30:18] Parking lot is asphalt,
[30:21] to make it easier for maintenance, snow removal
and all that,
[30:25] but with bio-retention.
[30:27] So, the idea is really to go as green as possible.
[30:31] But for the most part, it's really permeable
paths
[30:34] where water can percolate. The boat ramp, for
example, will be more concrete.
[30:40] But the rest, the paths to get there, would
be made of stone dust.
[30:44] And one last question about rainwater management:
[30:50] it goes down to the lake
[30:55] in this way.
[30:56] Can you tell me where it's going to end up?
[31:01] Je vais expliquer, en fait...
[31:06] So, OK, I'm going to take the microphone, otherwise
I wouldn't be able to do it.
[31:12] 
[31:16] 
[31:22] OK, can you hear me?
[31:24] So here we have the landscape wing,
[31:28] which is discharged into a retention zone,
which is here.
[31:31] The same applies to the future transformation
of the ditch, here,
[31:35] which could drain there.
[31:36] Then, the entire thing goes to the lake.
[31:40] So, on the beach?
[31:44] Actually, no, not on the beach. Next to it?
[31:49] It's under the ground there, actually.
[31:50] There's no... It's not apparent.
[31:55] From the bioretention zone,
[31:57] here, there. ...(inaudible)...
[32:00] Yes, exactly.
[32:04] So, here,
[32:05] we have the dry river, the landscape wing,
[32:09] the bioretention system, which, if there is
an overflow, the excess
[32:13] can be channelled into the surface retention
zone,
[32:17] which is then channelled into the lake.
[32:24] So it might be something
[32:25] that would be... Yes, everything needs to be
worked on.
[32:29] Because, in fact, we don't know the flow rate
of the ditch and all that.
[32:32] So there are lots of concepts
[32:33] that we don't have yet: calculations, quantities,
all that.
[32:36] So these are things we really need to work
on
[32:39] with the City and the civil engineer.
[32:42] The direction of water flow in the lake too.
[32:45] Exactly. ...(inaudible)...
[33:00] But if you'll allow me.
[33:03] Yes.
[33:05] Not close enough.
[33:06] OK. So I'll start by quoting your text.
[33:09] You say: "The new building meets the landscape,
allowing
[33:13] recognition of the site and its historical,
[33:16] contextual
[33:18] and symbolic
[33:20] stratification.” So I'd like to hear what
you have to say
[33:22] on the question of context and symbolism.
[33:26] You said that the landscape dominates.
[33:29] We understand that your integration strategy
[33:32] is mainly landscape-based.
[33:34] In other words, the building slips beneath
the landscape.
[33:37] The fact remains
[33:38] that there are three facades that are architectural
in nature,
[33:41] whose language is mainly plastic. After all,
[33:45] the entrances are big gullies.
[33:47] There are no traditional doors.
[33:49] It's a very, very plastic language.
[33:52] So could you tell us how it fits in with
[33:55] Beaconsfield's built heritage?
[33:58] Or perhaps you'll say: "We're not trying to
tie in with the
[34:02] built heritage.
[34:04] Our interest, our strategy, is mainly landscape.”
[34:07] Well, the strategy is very landscape-oriented.
[34:11] The answer, the strategy, is based
[34:13] mainly on the human experience, the experience
of users
[34:16] when they walk through the park and what they
will discover.
[34:19] So, yes, that's it. We're directing people
to the entrance.
[34:22] We want to catch them, we want to bring them
in, we want to create interaction.
[34:25] When we talked about one of the conditions
for success, this is one of them.
[34:27] What I'd like is for teenagers to come in and
say: "Ah, there are books here! My goodness!
[34:31] What is a book?"
[34:32] So, that's what
[34:32] we're trying to create.
[34:34] That is how the entrances are created. They
are part of a journey.
[34:37] At one point, we drew up a plan in which we
removed the entire roof,
[34:41] and then it was a plan that had to be really
interesting.
[34:43] It's a bit like a Nolli plan, a plan of a city
[34:45] where you can see the pedestrian routes. What's
full and what's empty.
[34:49] Then we had this understanding.
[34:51] The reference, of course, to this historical
context,
[34:54] but for us, we referenced it through the materiality,
[34:58] in terms of the wood,
[34:59] we have an exterior wood cladding.
[35:01] It's a subtle nod to the existing house.
[35:04] We didn't want to go
[35:05] for a pastiche of existing buildings, nor did
we want to go for references
[35:10] that were too close to the architectural elements.
[35:12] We have a building that is, after all,
[35:13] a pavilion in a park. And that's something
we wanted to take on board,
[35:16] this pavilion concept where there's
[35:18] work on the wood, there's work on the envelope.
[35:21] We have a white silk-screened glass, where
there are interesting levels of interpretation
[35:24] through an object that is a little plastic,
yes,
[35:28] in its shape, but that we also see through
a wooded landscape.
[35:33] The view from the park seems unobstructed.
[35:35] In reality, we removed all the trees because
[35:38] we wanted to express the project well, but
we don't actually remove them.
[35:42] ...(inaudible)...
[35:44] In real terms, because I can tell you that
we
[35:47] moved the building to fit it to the millimetre,
[35:50] but we've made sure that we can read it through
all these layers.
[35:54] So, it's this reference to the user experience
[35:56] that comes first, that dominates; where architecture
and landscape interact,
[36:01] but for us, landscape was an important element.
[36:04] I have a second question.
[36:09] You named several
[36:11] promenades
[36:17] ...(inaudible)...
[36:22] Oh yes, the rooftop promenade is part of it.
[36:26] Yes, yes, it's integrated.
[36:27] It's part of the Leisure Promenade
[36:29] Then, it's really in the experience, really
[36:32] with the children, with grandma and everything.
[36:35] So it's really like going up to the roof and
seeing the belvedere.
[36:38] We'll head back down, then off to explore the
other side.
[36:41] So it's really intertwined with the architecture,
[36:44] but it's part of it.
[36:48] 
[36:56] questions.
[36:58] Firstly, I'd just like to clarify something
[37:00] about your sanitary block.
[37:02] Are these gender-neutral washrooms?
[37:07] That's a good question.
[37:08] It's something ...(inaudible)... the competition.
[37:10] For me, it's gender-neutral.
[37:11] The big block, it is. It's just our-
[37:13] one position, but it's not something that's
necessarily immutable.
[37:15] In competitions, you work as part of a team
[37:18] - a a large team, in fact - and then you fight
it out over projects.
[37:20] Other projects we said to ourselves, OK, in
such and such a project
[37:23] it was non-gendered, but are we capable of
offering some that are gendered, yes.
[37:27] Are we capable of-
[37:28] It's a discussion. It's a discussion we've
had in each of our projects,
[37:31] and even more so today.
[37:32] We go to secondary schools, we have the same
discussion.
[37:35] We adapt to each community.
[37:37] So, for the moment, they're non-gendered,
[37:40] but there are a bunch of health units scattered
around
[37:44] the project where other people could say:
[37:46] "I'd rather go there.”
[37:48] OK, thank you.
[37:49] My second question concerns the youth activity
room.
[37:52] So the shape is a little atypical.
[37:54] I'd like you to tell me how you see the programmes
[37:58] and the planning activities in this room?
[38:03] But, in fact, yes, it's a bit, perhaps, atypical
[38:06] as a form;
[38:08] but allows us to work with several sectors
[38:11] with a wide range of activities.
[38:13] We can have the class format
[38:17] with the projection space.
[38:19] You can have a variety of highly flexible reading
spaces.
[38:22] We wondered whether, on the wooded side, it
was for the teaching room,
[38:27] that was there, and then, on the other side,
more informal reading areas.
[38:33] It's a very flexible space.
[38:35] What we found interesting, in fact, what we
found interesting for us,
[38:37] was to make a real link with the outside, with
the forested area,
[38:41] and to be able to extend this teaching room
outside,
[38:46] under the courtyard, to be able to do some
reading. In one of the projects,
[38:50] I know that when they go to the library, they
do a lot of-
[38:53] they do a lot of reading outside and sometimes
set up small tents outside,
[38:57] in the forested area, to do their reading,
[38:59] and that's a bit like the space we imagined.
[39:04] If I could just conclude?
[39:04] Once again, one of the difficult things
[39:06] about the competition, once again, is that
you're on your own.
[39:08] We're drawing on our experiences, the experiences
of Émilie
[39:10] and her schoolchildren, the experience ...
in a library,
[39:14] the experience I've had with mine, your experiences
with your older teenager.
[39:16] So that's what we're basing it on, but another
condition for the success of a project,
[39:21] and particularly in these cases, is the work
[39:23] that needs to be done with the project team
that's to come.
[39:25] And that's essential. Because here we have
a lot of hypotheses
[39:28] that have not been presented, and we have 20
minutes, which is very short.
[39:32] So, to present all this work to you. But a
lot of things have been thought through.
[39:35] When you're walking around in 3D, and the view
is in such and such a place, such and such
an alcove, ah you could close it off there,
[39:39] you could hold such and such an activity there.
[39:41] These things need to be shared and exchanged,
[39:45] and there are always moments during a project
when
[39:48] the client's understanding
[39:52] adjusts to ours and we adjust to theirs.
[39:55] And that's when we reach a point of balance.
[39:58] And then we enter into the full development
of the project.
[40:01] And that's the greatest criterion for success.
[40:04] One of the biggest criteria.
[40:05] Because we underestimate
[40:06] the amount of work that goes into
[40:08] this type of project: the adjustments, the
signage, the finesse.
[40:12] A cultural project is a fine-tuned project
[40:15] because we have to think about all the users.
[40:17] You talked about the younger ones, it's true,
about holding multiple activities.
[40:21] You can't just have one big hall. You have
need to have multiple activities
[40:23] taking place simultaneously as part of a project.
[40:36] Thank you very much for the presentation!
[40:39] It's much appreciated.
[40:41] The first sketch when the machine has jammed
[40:46] and you had the sketch for a long time.
[40:50] The first sketch, apparently,
[40:51] is what you see from Beaconsfield Boulevard,
right?
[40:56] Then, on your first idea.
[41:00] Can you explain a little more about
[41:02] what you imagine we'll see
[41:05] if we don't go there, but continue on Beaconsfield?
[41:08] What are we going to see of the building?
[41:10] And what's your idea
[41:13] of this image of the building from the Boulevard?
[41:15] This is the sketch with a little more definition.
[41:17] ...(inaudible)...
[41:19] Yes, that was at the beginning, but there was
an initial sketch,
[41:23] the one that appeared, where you thought to
yourselves "but he draws very badly,” and
rightly so,
[41:27] but the second one, the one you saw on the
front page,
[41:30] Yes, it's a little further on.
[41:31] Things become clearer in our heads.
[41:34] We went out earlier.
[41:35] I was sitting behind you, you were driving.
[41:37] And, I was looking.
[41:37] And then I saw: full, full, full, full... Oh!
the river.
[41:41] Ah, I can see the river. A sort of sequence
appeared.
[41:44] Then I couldn't wait to get to the site to
say:
[41:48] That's it.
[41:51] This body of water in front of me, I have access
to it.
[41:55] This is a crucial element.
[41:57] This perception, this openness to the shore.
Because this waterfront landscape is part
[42:00] of Beaconsfield's identity, this riverside
landscape.
[42:04] We deliberately slimmed down the Beaconsfield
project, thinking
[42:10] that the place would be well known, that people
would be familiar with it.
[42:12] It's a place of community. People don't have
[42:14] to say: "Hey, it's here! it's here!" No,
[42:17] the place will be known, giving the landscape
its due.
[42:20] Giving this riverside landscape its due.
[42:23] So that's why the project is ...(inaudible)...
the people on the boulevard
[42:27] all the way to shore.
[42:29] And that's the spirit in which the project
was conceived.
[42:31] This is the sketch, the second sketch, which
is perhaps sketch number 33 from the same sketch
[42:36] to the end. At some point it would be interesting
to share them.
[42:41] It reinforces the image: how can we go bigger?
[42:45] And then, even at the beginning,
[42:47] in the first volumetrics, we lowered the project,
[42:49] we worked to reduce the scale of the project.
[42:51] We thought it was too big, so we worked to
say, "no, we need
[42:54] to scale it down.”
[42:55] We need a scale that is similar to the residential
scale.
[42:59] You mentioned earlier, Manon, the links with
the context, but
[43:02] we didn't want a building that exceeded the
height of the neighbours.
[43:05] So we've reduced the scale as much as possible,
[43:09] to the max, so that we can see
[43:11] this river through this absolutely magnificent
forest
[43:15] and these immense trees at the end.
[43:20] You raised your hand. Emily had a question.
[43:30] ...(inaudible)...
[43:32] I'm going to have the last word.
[43:35] It works. OK, yes.
[43:36] In fact, I don't even have a question.
[43:43] But, in fact, no, but-
[43:45] I think it's worth saying,
[43:48] I thought you
[43:50] handled
[43:52] the whole speech very elegantly.
[43:57] Thank you, yes.
[44:14] Thank you.