LAVAL'S NEW AQUATIC COMPLEX
Located in the middle of the WOODLAND, the site will be restored to its former glory and rehabilitated. The reforestation and landscaping will promote biodiversity and wildlife habitat. The ecosystem will be revalorized.
A major civic building, a compact pavilion, bathed in natural light, OASIS will be an integral part of a modern and dynamic urban fabric, encouraging alternative and active transportation.
WATER, the source of life, will be celebrated throughout the site and the building; the dynamic experience of the flow of water will be felt and evoked both inside and outside. One will be in contact with the water from different points of view.
Composed of glass prisms that will carry the NATURAL LIGHT like cones introducing the light rays from the sky to the depths of the forest.
Catalyst for aquatic experiences, learning, sports performances and social interaction. A place where every citizen can feel connected with NATURE. A welcoming place with an emblematic and judicious shape that the people of Laval will be
Laval residents will be proud of for generations to come.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
The jury appreciates the simplicity of the circular form and its structuring effect on the site. However, the decision to hide in the wooded area is questionable from an urban point of view in terms of the City's expectations, but the public square open to the café creates a link with the city. The treatment of the envelope raises some concerns because the simplicity of the form will require a perfected realization of the glass envelope. The location of the single entrance for all is well solved. The jury appreciates the clarity of the functional diagram; the organization of the pools responds very well to the different clienteles and the separation of the recreational pool is a response to acoustic control. The concept is focused on user comfort, such as the family changing rooms, an innovative approach and the opening of the café to the public square. The parent experience is well addressed as there are no long corridors to access the various pools. The use of wood for the columns and the wood treatment of the skylights adds to the spatial quality. The one in the diving area may interfere with the divers; these can be repositioned. The walkway, a dynamic element separating the two swimming and diving pools, may distract the divers.
This project succeeded in creating interior ambiences while giving a human scale to this large volume, as required by the program.
The jury appreciates this project for its sobriety and functional innovation. The clarity of the party is a conceptual strength. The discretionary approach, based on wood, makes us reflect on the relevance of the desired signage approach. It is a timeless project that responds to the vocation and exploits the interior/exterior relationships with simplicity. A bold and Zen project that reinterprets the notion of 'structuring' at the urban level with its well-located, south-facing plaza between the complex and the city. This project sends a good message of urban sobriety, valid for the future of Laval.
The functional innovation of the plan is the result of a thorough reflection and knowledge of this type of building; the team's experience is well demonstrated. The plan is innovative because it is in line with new trends in aquatic centers, such as the family locker room, open and facilitating parental control, the separation of the recreational pool or the location of the training room. All clienteles enjoy well adapted facilities. The pools offer different atmospheres and experiences. The unique entrance for all, near the café, ensures the animation of the complex and the plaza. This dynamic lobby remains on a human scale. The planning reflects the community as well as the sports objective. It exploits the visual communication between the different clienteles.
The jury realizes, however, that the architectural success of this concept depends on the quality of the design and execution of this envelope, all in simplicity and refinement; the minimalist approach must be present. The budget dedicated to the envelope seems to meet this expectation.
(From jury report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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