Located in Longueuil, in the Saint-Hubert district, the Canadian Space Agency building [30,000 m2], named "John H. Chapman Space Centre", presents a powerful architectural gesture in the rural, barren landscape of the period in which it was built. Inspired by the international space station, the project is organized along a wide, linear, curved circulation spine, “the dorsal,” onto which a series of research laboratories to the south and single-function spaces and modules to the north are connected. Dubbed the “Scientists’ Promenade,” this vast open space reinforces the potential of this place for scientific engagement and exchange, from the library and exhibition spaces on the first floor overlooking the courtyards, to the cafeteria, mini-laboratories and meeting rooms on other floors.

Inspired by the envelopes of space shuttles, the exterior metal wall is technically precise and expresses the identity of the site. Affirming the urbanity of the entrance courtyard and its role as a meeting and exhibition space, the façade’s composition is tripartite: base, body and cornice. The main entrance features an insertion of stainless steel rings illustrating the orbit of the planets in proportion to their distance from the sun. In short, while offering functional spaces perfectly suited to the cutting-edge scientific activities that take place within, this avant-garde project stands out for its metaphorical reference to space exploration, inspired by the morphology of space travel with a figurative nod to the space industry.