Six teams of students from the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism (ASAU) designed proposals to transform the E.B. Eddy Industrial Complex space into the Outaouais Regional Museum.
When Lyette Fortin, an adjunct professor at ASAU, heard that the E.B. Eddy Industrial Complex was being considered as a potential location for the Outaouais Regional Museum, she contacted the Outaouais Regional Museum board of directors to see if they were interested in collaborating with her class. Over the winter term, 18 students in ARCS 3302 Conservation in Practice III Design Studio, had the opportunity to work with the board of directors and design proposals for the museum as an academic project.
The students were provided with information on the building, along with the mission, vision and program for the museum. The project was developed in three phases: understanding, planning and intervention (design). This involved building a site model and creating a 200-page report in phase A, to developing a “Parti” in phase B, to producing presentation panels and physical models in phase C to convey their designs with floor plans, elevations, renderings, landscape plans, etc.
Architects Mark Brandt, Catherine McBain and Chris Warden of Trace Architectures, and Roberto Campus at Figurr Architects participated in all phases of the project and provided invaluable feedback to the students.
“The six proposals are absolutely amazing, impressive, creative and inspiring,” said Fortin. “The students enjoyed the project even though it was very complex and challenging. They really liked the fact that they were dealing with members of the board—a real client—who were present for all three phases of the project. They provided feedback which helped the students improve their design.”
Some of the design challenges the students faced with this space included: acknowledging that the property is on traditional and unceded territories of the Algonquin nation; adapting an abandoned industrial complex into a functional museum building; demonstrating a commitment to sustainability; showcasing local indigenous materials in all aspects of the design; considering relevant building codes including universal accessibility; addressing eight buildings on a strategic site along the Chaudière Falls of the Ottawa river and a busy urban intersection; and protecting the heritage characters of the buildings, which are designated as historical resources by the Québec Government.
“As for all the students, we would like to thank each and everyone of them for their dedication, their creativity and the enormous amount of time given to this semester’s work. I had the opportunity to see each month since January the thinking process, the struggle and the challenges associated with such a demanding request to adapt a complex industrial site to a cultural institution,” said Jean-Marc Blais, president of the Outaouais Regional Museum, in a press release.
An exhibition from July 29 to August 27 at La Maison Fairview in Gatineau will showcase the six student proposals.
La Maison Fairview
100 Rue Gamelin,
Gatineau, QC J8Y 1V9
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday (except Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
More information on the six proposals can be found below.
Intertwine
By Cloé Beaudry, Jemma Johnson, and Kayla Wallace
Our project focuses on the idea of intertwining. To intertwine means to unite with another, to be mutually involved, and to be closely connected. This concept is rooted in the Outaouais Regional Museums Mission which focuses on bringing together the region’s history and culture into a place where it can be celebrated, and community members can identify with it and connect with each other. The idea also stems from the condition of the E.B Eddy buildings, which call for the intertwining of old and new fabric.
Our design and conservation philosophies also intertwine. The design focuses on the relationships and crossroads created by the regions overlapping tangible and intangible histories. Our conservation approach similarly aims to integrate the existing tangible evidence with the new additions alluding to the intangible. The forms of these are organic further drawing from the concept of intertwine which can also mean to twist, or to curl around. The organic forms come full circle in reflecting the Regional Museum in their association with indigenous communities and the natural movement of people.