2016 OAA AWARDS STADE DE SOCCER DE MONTRÉAL
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MONTREAL, QUEBEC
AERIAL VIEW Seen from an airplane, the site is located between Papineau Avenue and the quarry in the St-Michel nieghborhood (site indicated by arrow).
STADE DE SOCCER DE MONTRÉAL ST-MICHEL ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLEX MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA Brief Project Description On the site of the form Miron quarry and a future Ecological Park, the new soccer centre emerges from the park’s artificial topography as a layer of mineral stratum recalling the geological nature of the site. The mineral stratum is articulated by a continuous roof which cantilevers over the entry plaza and folds down over the interior soccer field. It extends to the ground to become the spectator seating for the outdoor field. To ensure the unity of the soccer centre over different programs and construction phases, the stratum appears as a single gesture with laminated wood structure supporting the roof. The roof’s crossing beams form a seemingly arbitrary lattice suspended over the entire site. Along Papineau Avenue, the architecture adapts to the existing landscape by embedding its supporting functions within the berm. This integration accommodates an elevated pedestrian path as well as preserves the existing trees. A large crystal box which contains the main lobby emerges from the terrain’s southeast end, signalling the entrance of the soccer center. A subsequent series of crystals emerge from the augmented landscape to provide daylight and views for the administrative and public spaces behind.
Despite the magnitude of the program, the series of crystals and preservation of existing trees succeed in retaining a human scale and the natural context for the adjacent residents. The programmatic elements and circulation are organized efficiently by taking advantage of the linearity of the site, in conjunction with program usage associating with players, spectators and park visitors. The centre includes one full-size interior soccer field that can be subdivided into mini-soccer fields; locker rooms and a fitness and physiotherapy room for the players; an event space, restaurant area as well as a family rest area to accommodate its community and park visitors; and offices for regional soccer association. The transparency of the building also promotes a sense of openness while maintaining a passive surveillance for the site. The design attempts to eliminate blind spots to ensure the safety of its users while promoting an inviting atmosphere for soccer enthusiasts and the community alike.
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A LAND MARKED BY CHANGE The history of the site of the soccer centre has been marked by change and evolution. Since its beginning as a mining centre, then as a dumping site, human intervention has taken a severe toll on the site’s topography and symbolism within the city. This location in the city is now destined to become one of Montreal’s biggest parks, the St-Michel Environmental Complex (SMEC), with a focus on the environment and ecological restoration. Adding to the site’s uniqueness are the (1) notable
presence of the historic quarry, (2) the bermed park-like landscape along a major urban artery (Papineau Avenue), and (3) the presence of a residential neighbourhood across that thoroughfare. All of these elements were carefully considered as key conditions shaping the architecture. The soccer centre design retains traces of the site’s “artificial” topography — vestiges representative of its noteworthy history. The new building adds a mineral stratum onto the topos — a layer
reminiscent of the geological nature of the site and symbolizing its new uses: sports, recreation and physical activity. As an architectural stratum, the centre is naturally positioned between Papineau Avenue and the old Miron quarry. The stratum follows the site’s shape and transforms to adapt and to unify the indoor soccer playing surfaces and service areas, and the outdoor soccer field and its seating/amenities.
PROGRAM RECEPTION / MAIN ENTRANCE HALL / INDOOR AND EXTERIOR SOCCER FIELDS / BLEACHER SEATING / TRAINING AND PHYSIOTHERAPY ROOMS / FITNESS CENTRE / CHANGING ROOMS / MULTIPURPOSE ROOM / ADMINSTRATIVE OFFICES / CAFE / BOUTIQUE
GROSS AREA 135,625 FT 2 / 12 600 M 2
COMPLETION DATE APRIL 2015
INITIAL SKETCH SKETCH ANALYZING THE POSITIVE VOLUME OF MONTREAL’S MOUNT ROYAL AND THE IMMENSE NEGATIVE VOID OF THE QUARRY IN ST-MICHEL.
Papineau avenue
CONCEPT SKETCH OF SECTION SEQUENCE THE TRANSFORMING BEHAVIOR OF THE ROOF STRATA ADAPTS TO THE BUILDING CONDITIONS AND DEMANDS ACROSS THE SITE. IT BEGINS WITH A CANTILEVERED ROOF, IT GRADUALLY THICKENS TO INTEGRATE MECHANICAL SYSTEM AND FOLDS DOWN TO BECOME BLEACHERS FOR THE OUTDOOR SOCCER FIELD.
PRESENCE OF THE PARK ALONG A MAIN URBAN ARTERY Along Papineau Avenue, the centre integrates fully with the site’s existing features. The intervention is first and foremost a “gesture” within the landscape. The presence of the existing berm has been preserved, not to hide the building from the city, but to mark the vital presence of the SMEC and facilitate access to the park. In addition, importance has been given to preserving the mature trees planted along the bermed landscape. Within the augmented landscape, a series of luminous crystals emerge along this promenade: these elements act as windows for the administrative and public spaces. They project out from the landscape toward the street to receive abundant natural light. Despite
the broad scope of the project’s program, these luminous elements and preserved vegetation give the architecture a critical human scale that respects the residential neighbourhood it faces. The largest of the luminous crystals emerges laterally to become the main entrance hall at the southwest corner of the building. Through its design, the project takes on a larger role than a sports facility; it becomes a welcome centre for the SMEC Park.
AN ARCHITECTURAL FORM NAVIGATING THE SCALE OF THE SITE The park’s immense size calls for an architectural intervention of grand scale, a truly unique gesture in the city. The design has been developed as the transformation of a single expansive
element — one which translates into a distinctive topographic architectural form. Like a mineral element rising from the quarry’s walls, the horizontal roof stratum acts as a cantilever to signal the plaza and main entrance at the southwest portion of the site. The roof’s behaviour reacts to the requirements of the program: extending eastward to house the interior soccer field, and then lowering to become a frame of seating for the outdoor soccer field and a bench area for players and coaches. As the roof thickens, it allows for a reduction in the amount of glazing along the east end of the building to control direct sunlight. The thickened volume, in turn, provides space for mechanical and various sustainable systems.
SKETCH SKETCH OF BUILDING AS A CONCEPTUAL EXTENSION OF THE TOPGRAPHY AND THE QUARRY.
VIEW OF THE ROOF STRATUM TRANSFORMING TO FRAME THE OUTDOOR FIELD AND HOUSE THE BLEACHERS
ROOF STRUCTURE PLAN
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VIEWS OF THE LUMINOUS CRYSTALS EMERGING LATERALLY, ONE OF THEM BECOMING THE MAIN ENTRANCE HALL AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE BUILDING
1. PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE 2. SECONDARY STRUCTURE WITH BRACING WALL 3. COLUMNS
UNIQUE STRUCTURAL EXPRESSION In order to ensure the formal unity of the project, the structure is conveyed as a single formal gesture in crosslaminated timber. The structural grid/ cells form a layered mesh, which appears to be random to visitors, but which in reality becomes denser over zones where added structural strength is needed. This cellular grid composes the cantilevered roof over the entrance plaza, the roof structure over the indoor field, and the surfaces of the outdoor bleachers. The design team has worked closely with the engineers to develop this vision of a unifying structural concept. This integrated design process has led to the formulation of a
4. EXTERIOR ENVELOPPE
structural grid that takes into account sustainability criteria and optimizes the dimensioning of the structure’s members according to the loads and spans. The wood structure is flexible and allows the integration of mechanical systems because of the varying heights of its layered chord members – sometimes members are at full height, and at other instances they allow for a gap above to permit the passage of ventilation systems. Lighting fixtures are placed under the mesh’s beams highlight the seemingly random pattern.
CONCEPT SKETCH STRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH INDOOR FIELD
VIEW OF THE INDOOR SOCCER FIELD LOOKING TOWARD THE OUTDOOR FIELD
VIEWS OF THE FLUID LOBBY SPACE ON THE BERM LEVEL
KEY SUSTAINABLE FEATURES
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Sustainable features have been integral to the design from the beginning of the planning process. Certain features are outlined below.
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Energy efficiency has been achieved through: lighting design, insulation, equipment, HVAC, heat recuperation, geothermal energy, high performance/ efficiency glazing and envelope, movement detectors. Water management: • Plants that do not require irrigation • Low flow plumbing fixtures Exterior/Interior: • Easy access to public transit or employees/visitors • Decontamination of soil on site • High albedo roofing and hardscape surfaces (reduced heat-island effect)
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Regional and local materials (wood structure, steel structure, fly ash) Use of Cross laminated timber (CLT) wood structure (the wood roof reduced the carbon emissions from the manufacture/construction of the building’s structure + envelope by 40% compared to a steel structure reference building) Plugs for electric cars in the parking area Bike racks Preserving trees on site Reduction of light pollution Retention basins Recycled materials Low VOC emitting paints and interior finishes Natural light in all working spaces
Sustainable / Green Certification: The stadium is in the process of attaining a LEED Gold rating and exemplary Performance LEED credit for FSC wood (> 95%).
PERTINENT METRICS: Annual energy consumption: 15 834 ekwh/year (equivalent kilowatt hours per year) Energy intensity: 146 kwh/m 2 Building full time equivalent population: 22 ETPs (+451 avg visitors/day) Annual potable water consumption:1550 m 3 /yr Annual potable water consumption: 3277 L/ person/year Percentage recycled material content: 6.5% Percentage of regional materials as defined by LEED (extraction/manufacture < 80km): 49.6%
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
LEVEL 2
PROGRAMMATIC ORGANIZATION The interior programs develop in a linear fashion under the green roof and occasionally reveal themselves as the aforementioned crystals to recall the geological nature of the site. Users circulate using paths on two levels, which separate public and private spaces. Yet, a link is preserved at key moments between the two levels. The ground floor gives direct access to the dressing rooms and the playing field. From the second level, accessible via the entrance lobby, visitors can access the indoor field bleachers, public spaces and the administrative area, which are largely open toward the exterior. From this second floor, visitors can overlook the field on one side and have a grand view down into the old Miron quarry and the future SMEC Park on the other. Support spaces for both the players and building maintenance are located on the ground floor. On this level, the relationship between the players’ dressing rooms and the playing surface is prioritized: a central corridor is used to group the dressing rooms and control access to the field. Storage for equipment has been integrated so that it is easily accessible from both the interior spaces and the exterior.
GOOD DESIGN / GOOD BUSINESS / LEGACY As part of the ‘Montreal Ville UNESCO de Design’ policy, the City of Montreal wanted the soc-cer stadium project to become an important architectural icon; for this reason, a national two-stage competition with an international jury was organized. The client believes that this public building can attract the attention of the press and the international sport community. The first public event that took place at the stadium was the training sessions of the Korean, French, Brazilian and Canadian teams for the FIFA Women’s World Cup last summmer. The stadium project has become a showcase for Montreal excellence in design. In 2014, the architects re-ceived a Progressive Architecture Magazine Award for the design of the stadium.
DETAILED PLAN OF LEVEL 2 CORRIDOR 1:400
DETAILED PLAN OF LEVEL 1 CORRIDOR 1:400