- Area: 472 m²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:David Boyer Photographer
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Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Owens Corning, Trespa, CGC, Demilec, Formica, Georgia-Pacific, Maibec, ROCKWOOL, Soprema, Uniboard
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Lead Architects: Maryse Laberge, architect LEED AP®
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Engineering: Stantec, Michel Gendron, Alexandre Jean, Isabelle Lauzon, Catherine Marchand
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Landscape: Groupe Rousseau Lefebvre, Michel Rousseau
Text description provided by the architects. The Pavilion is located in Basile-Routhier Park in Montreal, in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, near Rivière des Prairies and its riverfront linear park. It is an exceptional site in an urban setting, which includes multiple large mature trees. The project stemmed from a wish of the borough’s official’s to achieve a net-zero consumption building serving as an educational showcase of sustainable development, which is undoubtedly a mission accomplished.
For the professionals team involved, who are also passionate about education and environmental issues, the program had the ambitious and inspiring objectives to integrate a new Pavilion into a development plan for the waterfront park and to make it the first net zero building in Montreal.
The design of two boxes sliding one on top of the other in a projection movement towards the river, creates a contemporary shape and makes it possible to accommodate sheltered outdoor spaces under the cantilever. This seemingly simple massing reduces the amount of sunshine and excessive heat gain on the ground floor’s facades most exposed to afternoon sunlight. This massing also permits a simplified access to the green roof on the lower volume.
The magnificent nature on the site prompted designers to create a large balcony surrounded by the trees to take advantage of their presence while protecting their root systems, being placed on thin posts. The large side balcony extends out on the side of the upper volume, projecting towards the trees and extending the usable spaces on the terrace in an environment, surrounded by foliage, where the sunshine is pleasantly filtered.
The Pavilion offers its public multi-purpose indoor spaces, rest area, exhibition room, outdoor spaces, sheltered terrace, an accessible green roof with a community garden, as well as a large raised terrace to enjoy the canopy of mature trees.
The building envelope is extremely efficient in terms of insulation with R39 for walls and R46 for roofs. The fenestration of wooden curtain walls with triple glazing and low emissivity coating on two faces contributes to the performance of the envelop. The solar panels are on an independent structure that also provides an additional shelter for various events in the park, such as public markets and dance classes in the park. The materials used in building construction are durable and maintenance friendly. Whenever possible, preference was given to locally sourced materials.
As an environmental and educational showcase, the Pavilion includes information panels to communicate eco-responsible practices used in the building and it’s site. The project received a leed gold certification and achieves a net-zero annual energy consumption, enabling the achievement of all LEED points related to energy consumption and to renewable energy onsite production. The strategies implemented are demonstrated and explained to visitors by means of posters, explanatory models and periodic guided tours. The integrated display helps explain the principles of sustainable development and its importance in the design of the park and Pavilion, addressing various themes concerning health, water and renewable energy, in a holistic vision of the project.
