For just one afternoon, we swapped our pencils for paddles. In the seventh edition of this friendly dragon boat race, nearly 20 architecture firms came together around a shared goal: having fun, while showcasing the collaborative spirit and synergy that drive our sector’s strength. 

The sun beat down on coolers filled to the brim with food. A friendly mood prevailed on the banks of the Lachine Canal during this event meticulously organized by Provencher Roy. For the second year in a row, we teamed up with MU Architecture for the race.

There’s nothing better than a water expedition to lay bare a team’s dynamics. Each person’s character emerges more clearly than ever — remember the canoe camping trip that revealed a friend’s impatience or another one’s determination? On our boat, we weren’t thinking about individual performance, but about perfectly synchronizing our efforts to advance together.

From bow to stern, each person played a key role in our mission. The paddlers propelled the boat like a well-oiled machine. From the bow, a drummer called out the rhythm that kept the movements on track. In the stern, a steersperson kept the vessel on course. Together, our strokes broke the water with precision and consistency. 

Reaching the finish line and climbing the podium

Our combined efforts earned us third place on the podium. We also took the best time of the day in the various qualifying races. Team spirit and collaboration were the order of the day! Competitive at heart, Maxime was more than a little proud, true to his laser focus on excellence as Projet Paysage co-principal. Rumour has it that his medal still hangs in his office.

With wet clothes and sweaty faces, the teams went home with a few aches and pains and a major sense of satisfaction. Activities like this remind us that we are stronger together — both on the water and at the office!