The primary unifying factor of a campus or village is usually its materiality. Whether it is the white lime plaster of Mediterranean villages, the Trenton limestone of Old Montreal, or the buff brick of the University of Montreal, it is important that progressive development be done using a limited palette that guarantees the coherence of the whole while allowing for formal variations. Here, the white marble from the Danby quarry in Vermont, used in the Hornstein, Bourgie and Desmarais pavilions, is the foundation for our reflection.
Edward Burtynsky's photographs of the quarries from which marble, granite and limestone are extracted on all continents inform us about this activity that is as old as the architecture that feeds it. The extraction of cyclopean blocks then cut into slabs or smaller units produces sculptural cliffs animated by the light which accentuates their dramatic character. If we found the desire for a volumetry generated by a subtractive process that diminishes the visual impact of the building at the level of the passer-by, we also wished to add this irrepressible human will to work the surface of the marble. We propose to perforate the surface of certain panels to create a lace that filters the light in the circulation spaces outside the gallery to maintain the introspective character of the path.
Visitors will access the first floor of the Desmarais pavilion, the string of exhibition rooms will lead to the circulation core in the Bishop facade which gives access to the two upper floors to be visited successively. At the end of the tour, the visitor can go directly down to the large glass roof in the axis of the alley to continue the visit with a temporary exhibition or go back down to the first floor.
We have illustrated in dotted line the location of partitions allowing to define exhibition spaces of various sizes that can be visited in succession. Their final location will be determined in consultation with the Museum based on the organization of the collections.
Groups will have access to a reception and orientation area in the basement adjacent to the cafeteria and the group checkroom, from which they can use the underground corridor to go to the education center or up to the exhibition spaces.
In order to facilitate the flow of traffic and the orientation of visitors, the main exit staircase will be partially partitioned with Pyrostop glass and the doors leading to it will be held open by electromagnets connected to the fire protection system.
Interior finishes include oiled maple butcher block flooring (as in the other pavilions) and gypsum walls on a continuous plywood screw base in the exhibition rooms. The floors of the circulation cores will be covered with flamed Stanstead granite tiles while the cafeteria will have a natural linoleum floor with thermo-welded joints.
The basement mechanical room will have a floor at the same level as the adjacent Desmarais Pavilion room, which will supply it with energy.
The fresh air supply and exhaust will be on the roof of the recessed façade between axes A and B.
The proposed concrete structure follows the grid defined in the feasibility study, which allows for a larger room in the central part.
In terms of sustainable development, all of the proposed strategies will allow for a performance equivalent to LEED Silver certification (minimum of 33 points) by taking advantage of ecological construction waste management, a high efficiency envelope and optimized energy consumption.
For the arts integration program, we propose an intervention similar to the mural treatment done by the group En masse for the new Studios Art & Éducation Michel de la Chenelière in the group reception area in the basement to establish a link between these complementary spaces.
The night lighting of the façade will dramatize the building's landforms and contribute to the animation of this somewhat bleak segment of Bishop Street. We are aware of the need to offer a superior heritage replacement value to the existing buildings that will have to be demolished and we have sought to propose a harmonious intervention whose volumetry has been adjusted to gracefully make the transition between the Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion and the adjacent properties. Museums are by definition hermetic buildings that do not contribute easily to urban life, and here we have tried to open a dialogue with the surrounding context while remaining consistent with the efforts undertaken by our predecessors to build a museum campus of high quality. Each one adds a stone to the common work.
(Competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
The jury members raised the following key points about FABG's performance:
3.1 The conceptual approach and relationship to the quarry is interesting. The concept of the museum campus through materiality, i.e. white marble from Vermont, is appreciated by the jury. The designer's presentation is logical and his conclusion is clear.
3.2 The urban integration of this project is very well done, and as its designer points out, it is indeed an excellent neighbor.
3.3 The jury notes the classical elegance of this project. It recognizes the virtue of simplicity. A very luminous simplicity.
3.4 Despite this recognition, this project is criticized for being very wise and unsurprising. It shows a too big discretion.
3.5 The originality of the treatment of the marble by the perforations is seductive. However, the technique of realization worries the jury. It would not be acceptable to have to replace the marble panels along the way with another material because the design would be affected.
3.6 The reference to the marble quarry seems to overshadow the museum. The use of this building could be anything but museum. There are also similarities with other buildings, including the Quat'Sous. With the exception of the pierced marble, the innovative aspect is not present enough in this project.
3.7 The transparency on Bishop Street is interrupted by the perforated marble panels. They prevent animation across the entire façade.
3.8 Little effort has been made to treat the side elevations.
3.9 Although the first floor entrance is not very visible, the reception of groups is functional.
3.10 The proposal to glaze the exit staircase is judicious. However, it would have been interesting to exploit this idea further with a specific treatment of this staircase.
3.11 The interior route is interesting and the top floor offers an efficient pathway without turning back. However, the jury does not see the richness of the interior spaces.
3.12 The strategies considered to achieve a higher LEED level (silver) than requested (basic) are appreciated but at the same time raise questions about the cost impact of these measures at the expense of other elements of the program.
3.13 The graphic expression is fair but there seems to be a lack of effort in the rendering.
(From jury report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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