Montreal, Quebec
Cultural
Competition, Finalist
More than a place dedicated to books, the new Villeray Library is conceived as a public space open to knowledge, nature, and community. The project builds on a desire to connect with Le Prévost Park and applies bioclimatic and biophilic principles to imagine a true “garden-library.”
Integrated within the existing Patro Le Prévost complex, the library acts as an interface between architecture and the park. Its central connector—both threshold and gathering space—links the sports facilities to the library and opens directly onto the landscape. With its terraced façade facing the park, the building becomes a natural extension of the ground, an architecture that recedes to give space to life.
The planted terraces extend the interior spaces and establish a direct relationship with nature on every level. The open metal grating on the façades acts as a filter, sunshade, and support for climbing vegetation, giving the project a vibrant and evolving material presence.
The library is organized vertically, from the most public spaces on the ground floor to the quieter reading and study areas on the upper levels. It offers a balance between culture, biodiversity, and community life—a civic and living place deeply rooted in its environment.
In collaboration with Les Architectes Labonté Marcil, Fahey, Pageau Morel, Latéral Conseil and Équipe Laurence. Images by Piotr Banak.
Cultural
Competition, Finalist
More than a place dedicated to books, the new Villeray Library is conceived as a public space open to knowledge, nature, and community. The project builds on a desire to connect with Le Prévost Park and applies bioclimatic and biophilic principles to imagine a true “garden-library.”
Integrated within the existing Patro Le Prévost complex, the library acts as an interface between architecture and the park. Its central connector—both threshold and gathering space—links the sports facilities to the library and opens directly onto the landscape. With its terraced façade facing the park, the building becomes a natural extension of the ground, an architecture that recedes to give space to life.
The planted terraces extend the interior spaces and establish a direct relationship with nature on every level. The open metal grating on the façades acts as a filter, sunshade, and support for climbing vegetation, giving the project a vibrant and evolving material presence.
The library is organized vertically, from the most public spaces on the ground floor to the quieter reading and study areas on the upper levels. It offers a balance between culture, biodiversity, and community life—a civic and living place deeply rooted in its environment.
In collaboration with Les Architectes Labonté Marcil, Fahey, Pageau Morel, Latéral Conseil and Équipe Laurence. Images by Piotr Banak.