Project:
Urban Utopia, or the dream of reclaiming urban wasteland combining an abandoned project of a motorway tunnel left since the end of the 1970s and the plot of the Îlot Fleurie in an attractive and strategic part of the city center, remains a theoretical demonstration of the possibility of reclassifying urban voids in the center of Quebec City and countering the effect of winter devitalization.
This project aims to reweave the space to reappropriate the void while creating a local microclimate in order to meet the need for protection against the harsh local climate and to ensure seasonal independence for the hosted activities.
In addition, it advocates the sustainable reappropriation of these wastelands through an architectural concept aimed at maximizing their potential according to a mix of uses and reconnections to their surrounding neighbourhoods. Thus, the Urban Utopia project is intended to be an internal and external architectural gesture that is alive throughout the year, combining places of transition, relaxation, meetings, and exchanges.
Draft of the concept of reappropriation of the plot
Draft of the theme of the project
Concept of attraction and process of reappropriation of the wasteland
Theme and place:
The project is located on the plot of the Îlot Fleurie in the district of Saint-Roch in Quebec City, abandoned by the government, whether it is the Ministry of Transport, which manages the networks on a provincial scale, or the municipality, which urban divide and manages the networks throughout the city. The subject of this land is controversial today but still considered a meeting point between Hauteville and Lower Town.
In addition, the site contains some significant weather constraints, such as a configuration where a tunnel effect is created (speeding up the impact of the winds) and problematic solar exposure. Such constraints had to be taken into account in order to develop such a livable place.
Analysis of the wind velocity and the tunnel effect
Analysis of the solar exposure
Analysis of the solar envelope of the site
Architectural principle:
This graduation project proposes a reflection on the requalification of urban voids in downtown Quebec in order to promote their usefulness and to counter the low use of these lands during the winter seasons. It aims to stimulate the social reappropriation of these urban fragments abandoned during the urban collective evolution. The project not only promotes the seasonal independence of activities but also significantly enhances the quality of life season, fostering a sense of optimism and excitement during the winter.
It also aims to emphasize the essence of neighbourhood life by reappropriating the place and by using contemporary architecture to advocate an update and enhancement of the site's qualities.
It finally communicates a position on the importance of soft and public transport in Quebec, proposing a project making a connection to the surrounding neighbourhoods. The goal is to create a catalyst of posterity applied to the combination of the place of the Îlot Fleurie and the project of the motorway tunnel abandoned since the end of the 70s with their district. It is a challenging, controversial place with interminable social and political debates concerning it still lead to an uncertain future.
Aesthetic concept:
The creation of the project is punctuated by four significant factors: environmental preferences, coherence, readability, complexity and mystery.
Whether in the part anchored in the morphology of the cliff or in the luminous halls of the lower part of the site, the idea is to give rhythm to the descent, or the ascent, by creating a secure and protected path where the user can appropriate the space both physically and psychologically.
Presentation of the different parts of the complex
Programmatic concept:
The design of the project based on a course punctuated by different atmospheres resulted in the creation of new centers of interest covering a total area of 27,450 m2.
The internal use of angular shapes, various materials, and the integration of plants is not just a design choice. It's a strategic move that reduces sound reverberation and enhances the complexity, readability, and consistency of the project.
The tram station:
This part is intended to be a vibrant place of permanent transitions.
Using a single track of the original tunnel for the tram focusing on a single platform, organized by an alternating tram flow on one track, allowed the development of a space organized on two floors, anchored between the buildings bordering the Avenue Honoré-Mercier.
The place has promising potential for eight small shops and three medium, offering fertile ground for business growth and development.
The movie theater:
This part is intended to be a place of relaxation, with urban pieces of furniture distributed along the side of the alley so that people can stop by and enjoy the view, protected from the weather. The upper part of this building is shared between the entrance of the movie theatre and an alley connecting the tram station with the rest of the complex.
The organization is on three floors, with an important skylight at its center, providing light to the lowest floors. The skylight also collects rainwater in order to supply all the gardens on the site and other possible uses.
The cinema has the potential to have six small theatres with 58 seats each, four medium-sized theatres with 140 seats each, and two large theatres with 280 seats each, for a total of 1,468 people.
The central hall:
This part is intended to be a covered meeting place with an interior garden, giving the idea of being able to taunt the harsh climatic cond from inside. A glass roof surmounts this three-floor hall to provide better light penetration to the lowest parts.
The central hall is not just a space, but a versatile hub with a potential of 14 shops of various sizes, 3 restaurants, and 2 cafes. Each shop offers several hundred square meters of space, ensuring ample room for diverse business operations.
The co-working hall:
This part is intended to be a place of exchange, work and serenity. This complex three-floor building focuses on a central gallery serving every floor and every part of the place.
This hall has the potential of 6 independent restaurants in the lower part ranging from 50 to 100 seats each, a café/restaurant on the intermediate level with 150 seats connected to an amphitheatre with approximately 120 seats and an exhibition or conference room for 280 m2, as well as a café on the top floor overlooking Boulevard Charest. For the co-working part, this place offers, scattered throughout the building, ten small rentable offices of 12 to 50 m2 and four larger rentable offices of around 100 m2 each.
With seven covered and 19 open-air “pods” scattered throughout the building, the users have a variety of spaces to choose from for rest or open meetings. Each pod offers a unique ambiance, from cozy corners to open-air terraces, adding an element of excitement to your work environment.
The outdoor park:
Spanning an impressive 9,900m2, this outdoor park is a unique space designed for wandering and transition. Its non-uniform design creates a variety of atmospheres, from serene green corners to bustling urban structures. This design not only filters the prevailing winds but also offers a unique experience, disconnecting the visitor from the ordinary. The park's unique design is sure to intrigue and inspire visitors.
The park contains a semi-covered square, which allows for various outdoor activities while being protected (concerts or outdoor shows). Various outdoor activities can be offered on a second uncovered square protected by the proximity of the central hall building.
Also, 21 "pods" are scattered around the site, offering users places to meet or rest throughout the park.
"When we have found that whatever appears eventually disappears, we begin to look for what does not appear and never disappears either, which is always there."
- Ajahn Sumedho