A park chalet that is out of the ordinary
The Clémentine-de-la-Rousselière’s pavilion, finished in 2019, is implanted in a park of the Rivière-des-Prairies/Pointe-aux-Trembles’s district, on the tip of the east island of Montreal. This park is bordered on one side by the St-Lawrence river and on the other by the Notre Dame street, which is a one of the main road crossing the island from East to West.
This project overcomes the preconceived notion that a park chalet (pavilion) only has to fulfill functional needs. It seeks to create a strong signature through an expressive architecture.
New spaces allow local Scouts and Baseball Associations to have offices and locker rooms. A multi-purpose community hall is set up for more local events, such as art exhibitions.
Designed in order to rationalize space, a simple rectangular volume makes it possible to access the different functions from the outside. The large roof edges create protected passages to overcome the absence of internal distribution.
Spread out around this box two steep volumes give a geometric impetus to the architecture of the building. This singular shape attracts the eye and challenges the passerby and invites him to approach.
No existing roof system allowed the use of Corten steel cladding on a wall and roof, in perfect continuity. The architects have therefore developed in partnership with a manufacturer a variation of a metal wall panel system for the pavilion roof. This system, installed on an insulated sealing system, is equipped with openings to evacuate the condensation and to drain it. On the flat roof, the decking tapers towards an integrated gutter which defines a ridge of fineness of 200 mm. This particular coating, rough and evolving over time, was chosen not only for its aesthetics but also for the sake of sustainability related to the problem of vandalism, often encountered in the parks of Montreal.
The strength of steel was associated with the fineness of the wood. It was chosen for the structure, both for the aesthetics and the atmosphere it creates, but also in order to raise the public’s awareness of the environment. It is intentionally left exposed (columns, wall decking and ceilings).
The layout has been carefully chosen to fit in the site so as to respect the natural elements of the park. The architectural ensemble while being both attractive and intriguing, is hidden in a small wooded area. The rust color of Corten steel cladding contributes to this concealment. A lots of requirement related to the side influenced the choice of the implantation of the project. The limit of the 100 year flood infringement the third of the park and obligate the building to be farther from the fleuve. The numerous trees and vegetation diminish the possibility of implantation and also the historic axe in between the Chapelle de la Reparation and the river, does not allowed a implantation on this axis.
Everything has been design to preserve the trees; several month of study was required concerning the protection, the transplantation and the planting of new trees. The final implantation was adjusted in function of the nature presences.
The positioning of the internal function are in relation with their extension in the park: the baseball flap (cloakroom, office, storage), towards the baseball court and the scout flap near the landing stage and the outdoors spaces used by the scouts. The main room is oriented to the river with a maximal framing of this last one.
The use of a thin mill roof in the wood structure shows the delicate of the roof line. The interior wood frame looks is intact because the ventilation system is hidden in a centerpiece. The sheaths are in roof boxes that can be distribute in each room. Two zones with low ceiling make the distribution to the main room. The power supply and the plumber system pass under the slab.
The use of a white membrane on the flat rooftop and the choice of local materials (12 km from the site) are also been considerate for the construction.
