Boucherville National Park Visitor Center

Boucherville, Canada

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Mont-Tremblant Discovery Center

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Boucherville National Park Visitor Center

Boucherville, Canada

Firm

Smith Vigeant Architects

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Information Center

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2017

SIZE

5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft

BUDGET

$1M - 5M

The new Discovery and Visitor Center of Îles-de-Boucherville National Park is both the main welcome point for visitors of the park, and a showcase building, presenting the network of Quebec’s national parks. It embarks people on a celebration of nature, making the center a part of the whole park experience.

In order to open up access to the site and highlight the promenade leading to the water, the anticipated building volume was deliberately divided into two distinct parts. This fragmented layout creates an open public space between the new volumes as well as framing the central axis of circulation that leads to the channel. A place for interaction, to meet and gather or merely pass through, this busy junction is a hub for both discovery activities as well as outdoor equipment rentals

The undulated building edges are in harmony with the natural setting and inspire visitors to meander around the built spaces. They follow, cross, and pass under the curved surfaces to progressively discover the space. The fluid motion of the form is further accentuated by a textured veil: a succession of wooden slats overlapping the siding and extending around the entire perimeter. The cladding also acts as a light filter, producing shadows that dance across the ground in the same way as the foliage of the surrounding willows.

Inside the building, the organic dialogue continues with a channel-like recess that leads to the heart of the structure and the centrally located skylight. Linear lighting is placed along the recess, reminding of the rhythmic exterior cladding, and bringing the discovery room to life. This inclined layout also facilitates natural ventilation by directing air up towards the skylight.