Connecting community, nature and education
Developed for the expansion of an existing high school in Chambly, this concept provides students with multi-purpose spaces to experiment, learn and grow, all while bringing the school closer to its community and opening it up to both the city and surrounding nature.
This project relies on the addition of an entirely new building with a welcoming esplanade which anchors the school to its neighbourhood. A large, windowed façade marks the main entrance of this structure and creates a new interface with the city and the community that inhabits it. A coherent whole has been formed by unifying the structures of the old and new schools with a central garden, a green space that contributes to creating an active relationship between users and nature.
Inside, the school is organized around its core, a true public square where the cafeteria, bleachers and an open auditorium are located. This multi-purpose space, bathed in light, encourages students to gather. From this heart of the school, students can walk to sports facilities or to learning areas located on the upper floors of both buildings. This layout offers them a variety of spaces, levels, and atmospheres to allow them to take ownership of a setting that encourages learning and curiosity.
This school is part of a group of four new innovative high schools that will be built in Chambly, LaSalle, Mirabel and Laval. The creation of a unique architecture, adapted to each of their respective environments, transforms the schools into places that promote collaboration, openness, learning and pride for students, teachers and visitors. More than a place of learning, these schools become places of dialogue, and spaces open to their environment. This new generation of high schools is a first step towards the school of tomorrow, reinforcing the role of the school as a community player.
