Redevelopment of vacant spaces in the Université de Montréal’s Roger-Gaudry Building
This ambitious project by the Université de Montréal involves redeveloping the eastern wing of the Roger-Gaudry Building, which was vacated when several departments were relocated to the MIL Campus. The redesigned section will eventually bring together the centre for health teaching, administrative units, and student services in a brighter and more pleasant environment, while respecting the heritage features of this exceptional building. The project aims to receive LEED v4 certification for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C).
Location
Partners
Provencher Roy
Scale
20 380 m² / ±163 M$ (demolition and construction)
Timeline (design and construction)
2020 — 2026
The principles underlying the transformation of the spaces are to strategically concentrate activities; to preserve the built heritage; to modernize the spaces; and to integrate sustainability guidelines. Following the planning phase, the redevelopment aims to reduce the rate of degradation while preserving the heritage features of this exceptional building. The new facilities are designed to offer a high degree of flexibility, uniformity, and functionality, as well as welcoming social spaces, in order to meet the institution’s current and future needs.
In 2019, the same consortium—Birtz Bastien Beaudoin Laforest architectes (BBBL), Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes, and Provencher Roy—completed the functional and technical programming, and the preliminary plans and estimates for the reallocation of all spaces vacated at the Campus de la montagne after the construction of the MIL Campus. The team then tasked in 2020 with carrying out the redevelopment is therefore an experienced one, knowledgeable about the building and the major issues involved.
The interior redesign is part of a vast transformation project that also includes replacing the windows in the areas impacted; repairing some masonry; and refurbishing the interiors of the Marie-Victorin Building and of the western part of the Roger-Gaudry Building. Given the scope, logistical challenges, and complexity of the work overall, it represents one of the largest ongoing public infrastructure rehabilitation projects in Quebec. In addition to the design and construction challenges of redeveloping an existing historic building, other challenges include the process of obtaining LEED certification, the presence of asbestos, and the operation of multiple construction sites in the same area.
The Roger-Gaudry Building, the emblem of the Université de Montréal, was designed by architect and engineer Ernest Cormier. It was built over many years between 1924 and 1943, and the work was interrupted from 1931 to 1941—a dark period caused by the Depression. One of the main features of this art deco building, in addition to its signature tower, symmetrical composition, and impressive massing, is its extensive footprint, with six wings spread across its façade.
