A first gesture is inscribed in the form of the building which expresses the function of a public building and which, at the urban level, plays a signal role, reinforcing the character of Saint-Jérôme Street and marking the beginning of the sea-river axis along Otis Street. The building forms an inverted "T" whose right angle, oriented towards the north, opens onto the river and thus delimits a square that is the exterior extension of the access to Otis Street.
From Saint-Jérôme Street, the entrance hall of the library clears the whole height of the building and opens a perspective on the river. The Maison de la Culture takes on its full meaning here, by flexibly joining the library floor to the lower level, which is intended for the visual arts, via a staircase punctuated by a set of staggered levels that facilitate exchanges between users.
The architecture of the Maison de la Culture has a contemporary character, while respecting the neighborhood. It is distinguished by the use of forms and materials drawn from the traditional architecture of the region: stone or concrete to form the base of the building, brick and glass, in alternation, for the exterior walls, and zinc sheeting as an additional material to enhance the roof projections and cornices.
(From ARQ Magazine #86 August 1995, p.28)
(Unofficial automated translation)
