New St-Laurent Ouest Elementary School
The new St-Laurent Ouest elementary school is located in the heart of the Bois-Franc neighborhood, a residential development on the former site of Cartierville Airport, shut down in 1988. This place, filled with history, saw the first Quebec planes take off, an aeronautical memory that inspired the project's design. Located on a narrow site, the 24-classroom school rises four stories high to provide as much outdoor recreational space as possible for the 489 students it will accommodate.
The building is designed as a long north-south oriented block to minimize its footprint and respect the density of the neighborhood. Its shape is inspired by both the surrounding contemporary buildings and the site's aeronautical heritage. This legacy guides the concept towards a symbolism of flight and lightness, which is reflected in the choice of lightweight materials, pale colors, and volumetry.
The canopy crowning the ground floor creates a transition at pedestrian level and enhances the visibility of the main entrances. The upper floors are clad in thin, cream-colored ventilated ceramic tiles, reinforcing the impression of lightness and reducing the weight on the structure. The volume is crossed by a glass box housing the gymnasium. Suspended on the second floor above the main entrance, the gymnasium is visible day and night thanks to its careful lighting treatment and acts as a beacon for the residents of Bois-Franc.
Inside, each floor is highlighted with an accent color to better guide students as they move around. The indoor collaborative spaces are both versatile and calming: their playful built-in furniture encourages interaction and learning. Finally, the second floor, with its gymnasium and multipurpose room, stands out from the other floors of classrooms. Outside of school hours, these two spaces are made available to the sports and family community, making this project a new hub of activity in the neighborhood.
The building is designed as a long north-south oriented block to minimize its footprint and respect the density of the neighborhood. Its shape is inspired by both the surrounding contemporary buildings and the site's aeronautical heritage. This legacy guides the concept towards a symbolism of flight and lightness, which is reflected in the choice of lightweight materials, pale colors, and volumetry.
The canopy crowning the ground floor creates a transition at pedestrian level and enhances the visibility of the main entrances. The upper floors are clad in thin, cream-colored ventilated ceramic tiles, reinforcing the impression of lightness and reducing the weight on the structure. The volume is crossed by a glass box housing the gymnasium. Suspended on the second floor above the main entrance, the gymnasium is visible day and night thanks to its careful lighting treatment and acts as a beacon for the residents of Bois-Franc.
Inside, each floor is highlighted with an accent color to better guide students as they move around. The indoor collaborative spaces are both versatile and calming: their playful built-in furniture encourages interaction and learning. Finally, the second floor, with its gymnasium and multipurpose room, stands out from the other floors of classrooms. Outside of school hours, these two spaces are made available to the sports and family community, making this project a new hub of activity in the neighborhood.
