A major cultural hub will open its doors in 2027 in the heart of Laval’s Montmorency neighbourhood. We are proud to have been entrusted with the landscape architecture.

The City of Laval is aiming for nothing less than to undertake « the largest cultural project of the decade in Québec » (article in French). The goal of the venture is to establish a core cultural setting on a scale not yet seen in the area, a sort of local Place des arts de Montréal. A state-of-the-art library will be built and include a centre for professional artistic creation, which will be managed by the Regroupement d’organismes culturels et d’artistes lavallois (ROCAL).

Another goal: LEED Gold certification. The municipality wants to prioritize a process anchored in sustainability, ranging from rainwater management to integrating eco-friendly energy sources. In other words, the type of mandate we love and that draws on what we do best.

Working with Montoni Group, NEUF architect(e)s, and Atelier TAG, we submitted our proposal to the City of Laval as part of a multidisciplinary competition. In October 2024, our plans moved from screen to site.

A centre to benefit the community and beyond

With its library, artists’ residences, and indoor and outdoor programming, this undertaking is sure to bring new energy to the neighbourhood. As a whole, it will benefit both the region’s population and artistic community. It will revitalize a key high-traffic area near Montmorency metro station and major academic institutions (Université de Montréal, Cégep Montmorency, and Collège Letendre).

Stéphane Boyer, Mayor of Laval

“This new cultural facility marks a turning point in the development of Laval, transforming our downtown into a true creative and gathering hub for all. […]” 

To bring this innovative vision to life, significant government assistance was allocated for the outdoor environment. This venture is a testament to genuine political will to make the landscape an integral part of the project’s success. Accordingly, we developed a design that promotes the site’s cultural expression. It will strengthen the neighbourhood’s climate resilience and offer residents a unique experience built around the combined benefits of nature and culture.

Different spaces for different needs 

The centre will unfold as a cultural pavilion complex. A park and its green spaces will draw people to the library. In addition to the architectural pavilion, users will enjoy different outdoor zones, adapted to community and cultural life while fostering urban biodiversity. 

One area will play the role of an agora, big enough to house a pop-up stage. Its perimeter will be dotted with lighting systems to set the mood. Beyond programming, the square will be enlivened by water fountains, sure to delight the youngest visitors. Parents supervising their children and spectators will be pleased by elegant stone platforms. 

Other, more modest, parts will create green rooms and an artistic journey. 

Set back from the agora and connected to it by a path, these spaces will suggest a more intimate experience of art by showcasing public pieces surrounded by greenery. Nearby, a reading garden will offer a place to stop and get lost in a book under a leafy canopy. 

Urban furniture is available, with bistro tables and colourful chairs. These fixtures are among the distinctive, custom-designed elements that define the park’s unique identity. 

Finally, a public square and an open plaza will facilitate intuitive access to the building from areas bustling with passersby. The public square, bordered by long benches, can also serve as a temporary stage for cultural performances. Rain gardens will delimit passageways, bringing this vast space to a human scale.

This design ensures that the architecture and its environment are cohesive. The omnipresent curves and circles inside the library are echoed in the spatial layout of the zones and paths. Users will forget the traffic on neighbouring roads when immersed in the organic aesthetic and presence of nature.

The vegetation, for its part, will play a key role in water management and help minimize maintenance. It consists exclusively of native plants and is part of an integrated ecological approach that includes a dry river, retention basins, and rain gardens. The library will also feature a green roof. Water can continue its natural cycle by infiltrating the permeable paving.

These are the broad strokes of the concept that will take shape over the coming years; delivery is slated for 2027. Although the official opening has not yet been set, there is no doubt that Laval residents will benefit from an extraordinary public space, worthy of what they deserve.