The construction of a second entrance pavilion at the Vendôme metro station, located in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, is part of the plan to improve the fluidity, the capacity, the universal accessibility, and the operational efficiency of the Métro station, as well as to create a direct underground pedestrian link to the EXO train station platforms and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) building.
To achieve these connection objectives while protecting the architectural heritage of the existing subway station, the project is inserted into a tight site located between the bus loop and the existing building at 5100 de Maisonneuve Boulevard. The facade of the new entrance building extends perpendicularly to de Maisonneuve Boulevard to assert this new urban entrance and open onto the plaza at the intersection of Vendôme Avenue.
The volume of the building creates an opening at the junction with the existing metro tunnel, allowing it to be attached perpendicularly, with a view to structural and functional optimization. Upon approaching the station, a signal canopy welcomes users and identifies the two entrances to the building, one dedicated to the metro and one allowing direct access to the underground corridor leading to the EXO station and to MUHC.
The structural framework, favouring a peripheral alignment of the columns, allows for a completely open plan, which favours the fluidity and visibility of the circulation components. Several accessibility strategies also make up the route, including the positioning of the elevators adjacent to the staircases, which promotes a sense of proximity for the various users. The project has achieved a gold-level ENVISION certification from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI).
Team:
Architects: Bisson Fortin, Provencher_Roy architectes en consortium
Engineering: SNC Lavalin
Regulations: Technorm
Elevator: Consultants EXIM
Cost surveyor: Legico
Photo credit: David Boyer and James Brittain
