Inside out | Outside in
Paramount to Québec's historical growth, expansion, and economic vitality and success today has been the Québec River. In an effort to capture this most unique and outstanding feature of Laval University's location, the amphitheatre is set above the multi-purpose area in order to elevate the audience above the surrounding landscape features, revealing an awe-inspiring view if the river, a truly stunning backdrop to the amphitheatre's stage as it soars over the site.
Placing the amphitheatre above the multi-purpose area allowed a vertical interplay between the two spaces which resulted in an outer peripheral circulation serving the inner functions of the addition. A series of ramps rise and dip down between the two levels, allowing a visible and accessible circulation while encouraging an active and dynamic movement through the addition to the university's campus.
Framed by the intertwining ramps, bands of glass and concrete act as a fluid skin to the frame of the building. Externally, these bands not only reflect the interior movement and circulation between the amphitheatre and the multi-purpose area, they also reveal programmatically the nature of each space. At the lower level, the concrete and glass bands work to disguise the building's entrance, a nod to the humble and unpretentious entries of the monastic architectural style, the prevailing design of the majority of Laval's campus buildings today. At the upper level, a large glass band sweeps across the amphitheatre's elevated stage, privileging the audience with a spectacular view of the Québec River.
Set against the static form of the existing university buildings, this fluctuation between transparency and solid reflects the dynamic motion of the circulation around the amphitheatre and multi-purpose area. Historically rectilinear corridors are transformed into curvilinear and sectional tying the two levels together in a dynamic and sweeping gesture.
(Competitor's text)
15 scanned / 13 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Presentation Panel
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Site Plan
- Plan
- Plan
- Plan
- Section
- Section
- Schema
