Provencher_Roy announces the imminent completion of a new center project for HEC Montréal,
The time is nearing completion for the new university center of the Canadian architecture firm Provencher_Roy,
located in downtown Montreal, Canada.
The project is a new downtown hub for HEC Montréal, for entrepreneurship and research,
which will establish strong links between the school and the business community in Montreal.
Located at the intersection of the Quartier des Affaires, Quartier des Spectacles and the Quartier International,
the building will be a hub of exchange that stimulates innovation through collaborative programs for academics and business leaders.
The project marks a return to the downtown area where HEC Montréal started in 1906, where it can engage the city’s economic players.
It will also add much needed capacity to the rapidly growing school,
whose student base has grown by 64% in recent years.
The new facility will house spaces for professional development courses, collaborative research in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence,
conferences, and increase the school’s capacity while supporting partnerships with leading companies in Montreal.
Design Features
The 24,000 square meter facility is designed as a crossroads,
organized around two circular axes that traverse the site and meet in a central courtyard that rises five stories.
The design was inspired by the unique geographical and urban characteristics of Montreal,
while embracing the characteristics of this mountain-built city to create a landmark building in its place.
Pedestrian connections through the building transmit a 10-meter height change across the site,
linking streets on the east and west sides and green spaces to the north and south.
The center is open so that it can be accessed from all sides,
and the building functions as a neighborhood in itself rather than a free-standing structure.
The building forms a pillar in the historic urban fabric,
interacting with the surrounding business community to welcome students from all over the world into the local business culture.
The design also incorporates a contemporary academic facility on a site full of history,
identifying HEC Montréal’s presence in the city while honoring both the neighboring Saint Patrick’s Basilica and the history of the grounds themselves.
The Provencher_Roy design scheme was formed around three basic principles:
dynamism, lightness and respect for location.
The new building also preserves a lot of green space,
turning it into a landscaped garden that extends over the basilica’s forecourt.
The plan also presents the history of the destroyed St. Bridget Asylum, traces its foundations,
partially reconstructs the remains of its outer walls, and dedicates several memorial plaques.
Provencher_Roy announces the imminent completion of a new center project for HEC Montréal
The building’s jewel-like facades and changing materials interact with the different contexts surrounding the site.
In the northeast wing, the facades slope away from the church,
while preserving views of the historic structure from the surroundings.
The part of the building is shorter than the rest, with the height of the basilica postponed.
Generous glass on the lower floors of this façade creates lines of sight from the interior to the basilica
and opens the new building to the surrounding plaza.
On the western side of the site, the design creates a dramatic entrance that announces the building on the bustling Rue de La Gauchetière.
V-shaped walls form a recessed entry plaza from the batch line, and stacked blocks extend above the entrance and protrude into the street.
It all creates a dynamic silhouette that fits in with the bustling urban context.
Provencher_Roy developed the final design in collaboration with community members
and stakeholders to ensure that it respects the heritage of the site and contributes to the surrounding urban fabric.
A series of consultations and joint design schemes were also held with public authorities,
residents, heritage experts and the business community, inviting these voices to contribute to the design.
Targeting LEED Gold, the center hosts 27 classrooms, a 300-seat auditorium, and an event and lecture center.
Public amenities, including a library, lounge, café, indoor garden and courtyard,
will integrate the building with the city and provide new community spaces.
The lower floors contain meeting and assembly functions and are easily accessible from the three main entrances.
As the floors and classrooms are located at the top,
the program stack concentrates the activity at the base to move the site.
Provencher_Roy announces the imminent completion of a new center project for HEC Montréal
Senior levels meeting rooms, classrooms, and administrative offices
have also been designated for the Executive Education Department.
The northern wing of the building houses a research center
where business leaders and top academics can collaborate on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The building houses the latest technology throughout, facilitating relationships between academics
and researchers from around the world.
The design advances HEC Montréal’s vision of being a network of institutions for learning,
research and dialogue among students, professors, staff and the business community that foster immersive and interactive experiences.
