Saint-Charles Library , Montréal / Kanada

 

Ville de Montréal

 

The Ville de Montréal is launching a multidisciplinary architecture competition for the renovation and expansion of Saint-Charles Library, originally a fire hall built between 1891 and 1892, and repurposed in 1976. This project provides the opportunity to equip the borough of Le Sud-Ouest with a one-of-a-kind gathering place conducive to learning, access to information and citizen participation.

 

The project aims to create a fresh new gathering place for the community, highlighting the existing library, a building of heritage interest, and harmoniously integrating it with its surrounding built fabric. The new library is meant to function as an urban agora, a central hub that will amplify the district‘s reach and influence and create a positive image. 

 

The current library requires work to upgrade its services as well as its spaces. The current floor plan of approximately 1,100 m2 will be entirely refreshed and expanded by approximately 1,800 m2 to better serve the local public and enable it to fully realize its mission: to be a welcoming, stimulating and inspiring living environment.

 

This competition is:

 

- a multidisciplinary architecture competition;

- open to competitors from Québec as well as any province or territory covered by an intergovernmental agreement on liberalization of public procurements applicable to the Ville de Montréal;

- held in two stages: the first stage is a call for applications to select project teams with proposals for a conceptual approach, and the second stage consists in submission of service offerings by the four (4) finalists selected by the jury.

 

The outcome of the competition will be the selection of a winning team whose service offering will serve as the basis for project execution.

 

The new library will comprise, among other things:

 

- An indoor and outdoor agora in which to gather and to have public voices heard;

- An ideas lab for expressing ideas in the form of workshops;

- A collection of practical everyday items available to borrow (e.g., small kitchen appliances, camping gear), so as to reduce consumption and encourage the circular economy;

- A media lab for learning media, audio and video technology tools;

- A café;

- A large multipurpose hall;

- A family section with an activity room and areas for toddlers;

- A section for adults, including work spaces, a quiet room and group rooms.

 

All spaces will be accessible to people with functional limitations.

 

Upon its inauguration, the building will be renamed in honour of Éva-Circé-Côté (1871–1949), a writer and journalist from the neighbourhood, the librarian of Montréal‘s first municipal library and a firm believer in the importance of public libraries, especially for young people. 

 

The construction budget for completion of the project is $24 million, taxes included, in 2023 Canadian currency.

 

Stage 1 / Submission packages

June 13, 2023, 1:30 p.m., Eastern Time

 

Stage 2 / Finalists‘ service offerings

November 7, 2023, 1:30 p.m., Eastern Time

 

The jury is the same for both stages of the competition, and comprises the following individuals:

 

- Susan D. Bronson, Architect and heritage conservation and planning consultant

- Martin Cloutier, resident of Pointe-Saint-Charles and member of the Opération populaire d‘aménagement community follow-up committee

- Charles Julien, Engineer, Division de la transition écologique, Service de la gestion et de la planification des immeubles, Ville de Montréal

- Suzanne Laure Doucet, Architect, Pivot: Coopérative d‘architecture

- Robyn Maler, Division Head, Librarian, Direction culture et bibliothèque, Arrondissement du Sud-Ouest, Ville de Montréal

- Marie-Pier Marchand, Architect, Arrondissement du Sud-Ouest, Ville de Montréal

- Mark Poddubiuk, Architect, Poddubiuk architecte