Project Description

Sited along the Ottawa River, the Forestry Research Institute sits lightly on the site — preserving and highlighting the existing terrain. The programs of greenhouses and labs are split between five buildings, tucked under the edge of Rue Laurier. Gaps between the buildings leave strips of the site undisturbed, using the repetition and the rectilinear forms of the buildings to contrast the shifting ground and tree canopy.

The project uses sustainable construction methods such as rammed earth and mass timber reflecting the Institute’s research of wood and earth.