Science complex | University of Montreal

This remarkable university campus located on the former Outremont marshaling yard site offers a real urban solution to revitalize a wasteland industrial zone and re-establish the link between various neighborhoods fragmented by the former use of the site. Through its strategic location, the Science Complex becomes the heart of this project, which aims to promote the training, development, retention, and attraction of the best international researchers.

The first building to be located on the site, the complex, is divided into two volumes on either side of the north-south axis formed by the extension of Wiseman Street. The "blue line" runs through the site, a common thread that links Acadia and Outremont stations and a public space emblematic of the project, guiding the user to the heart of the new site. A central outdoor square, crimped by the volumes of the Education and Science centers, completes this large complex and marks the direct access to the building.

Deployed to the east of the "blue line," the Science Center is divided into two linear wings of six floors linked together by the reception hall and a set of walkways. It combines teaching and research laboratories, offices of professors and researchers, student cafes, and the administration of four departments: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Geography. The reception hall is presented as an exhibition showcase, a space around which the exchange activities and elements of the synergy of the Science cluster are organized, guaranteeing the Pavilion's dynamism.

On the west side, the Education pole includes the library, classrooms, amphitheaters, and an agora. The amphitheaters are grouped near the main entrance to the Pavilion and juxtaposed to form a four-story sculptural mass, staged by a large glass wall acting as a signal element for the entire campus. The central element of the project, the library, unites the two poles and is revealed in multiple levels linking the ground floor to the basement. Located under the "blue line," it unfolds around two large landscaped courtyards, which are offered to users as an element of contemplation and open up visual perspectives on the pavilions and other components of the complex. The agora that adjoins it is the pivotal point of circulation and a significant meeting place where students, teachers, and researchers can meet and discuss.

A major scientific center totaling nearly 60,000 m² and aiming for LEED NC certification, the Science Complex will bring together more than 35 research chairs. In addition to contributing to the international scientific influence of the University of Montreal and boosting all research activities, this integrated urban complex will allow the requalification of an entire sector of the city through the development of a creative and innovative district.

Awards and Distinctions

2022, LEED Gold® certified

2022, Grands Prix du Design (Architecture & Interior Design), Grand Winner & Platinum Winner

2021, Architecture MasterPrize

2020, Grands Prix du Design, Gold Certification

2020, ACI Excellence in Concrete Constructions Awards