The context of the architectural intervention
The new Centre de Production des Arts de la Scène is a permanent marker of the desire to express and develop a living culture through the performing arts in Sherbrooke's urban landscape. The Centre de Production des Arts de la Scène is part of a two-fold project: firstly, to restructure the downtown area by linking it with the new arts zone at the confluence of Wellington and Dépôt streets; and secondly, to create a collegial dialogue between the various artistic disciplines. In this context, the Centre de Production des Arts de la Scène becomes the interface for exchanges between the city's activities and those of artistic production players, through a structuring gesture in the urban landscape, and between the various performing arts professionals, through an internal articulation that generates dialogue.
The architectural approach
In terms of layout and volume, the new complex is designed to integrate the new intervention with the urban landscape. To achieve this, the project's conceptual gestures are characterized by two movements.
On a site-wide scale, the layout, in a linear projection towards rue Dépôt, follows the morphology of rue Wellington to structure the urban route. On a city-wide scale, a landscaped gesture towards the river marks the new gateway to the downtown area and generates a dialogue with the city in the urban landscape. The meeting of these two movements qualifies the articulation of the functional program and the distribution of needs. This meeting is embodied by a distributor axis, a vertical fault in the building, which becomes both the backbone and the lung of the new Centre. This axis clearly serves the services and contributes to the internal and collegial dynamics inherent in the creation by becoming the building-wide interface between the rational and the emotional.
Spatial organization
The building's linear massing stretches from north to south towards Dépôt Street, a continuation of Wellington Street. This alignment with the street favors the creation of an interface showcasing the performing arts. Along Wellington Street, the three-storey reception area and offices create a first zone of permeability. The rehearsal, production and storage spaces slide against this first zone and stretch over two floors towards Dépôt Street, associating the creative spaces with the artistic vocation of the latter. The gap created between these two zones, a veritable "courtyard of miracles" bathed in natural light, becomes a privileged meeting place for the various disciplines, and a space for dialogue between the logistical side, i.e. the offices and services, and the creative side, i.e. the rehearsal, production and set-building spaces. The sliding of the two functional zones against each other creates a forecourt at the corner of Wellington and Dépôt Streets. This forecourt, which extends outside the reception areas and café, marks the entrance to the Centre. Adjacent to the large rehearsal hall, it becomes an ideal venue for artistic presentations.
From east to west, the gesture towards the river qualifies the movement of the roof, which gradually unfolds over the site, creating an undulation from the ground to the banks. While this wave acts as an acoustic and thermal filter for the production and rehearsal spaces, it also generates a natural agora for the production room, strategically located at the heart of the building. In this way, the indoor stage will benefit from an outdoor room open to the city.
Adjacent to this park, a strip of light acts as a boundary between plant and mineral rights-of-way. It crosses the site, the building and Wellington Street, marking the entrance to the city as it passes. Following this logic, the strip of light limits the right-of-way for equipment access. These are located in direct connection with the Centre's distributor axis, in a more mineral landscaped area on the Aberdeen Street side.
A cultural signature in the city
Urban integration is enhanced by an envelope that is both showcase and witness. The transparency of the reception areas, places of convergence, is matched by a work of material expression characterizing the various artistic production and service areas. On Wellington Street, the services on the first floor are transparent with the city, while on the upper floor, a play of brickwork and glare-control shutters creates a vibrant link with the urban typology. On the park side, the green carpet that unrolls from the ground to climb the studio walls, and which we'd like to see become a green roof, is an aesthetic gesture that unifies the urban landscape. It benefits the rehearsal and production spaces with which it is associated, and acts as a building modifier by integrating bioclimatic principles into the architectural design. The green carpet uses the natural cycle of flora to promote the percolation of water and the breathing of the Center by creating a filter that generates fresh air through the cycle of photosynthesis. Combined with simple systems such as vane fans, it absorbs energy and controls radiation around studio openings to help minimize the cooling load in areas likely to generate overheating. This integrated strategy reduces recurring operating costs. To the south, it is combined with solar preheating, which considerably reduces the heating load in winter. Finally, the gap acts as an interface for the designers, but also as a thermal and light interface, promoting air extraction and the entry of natural light for all spaces.
Echoing this desire for porosity and entanglement in the urban landscape, the integration of the work of art in the city is reflected in the luminous marking that crosses the site, coupled with water retention basins. This intervention, visible from both sides of the main roads, brings the Centre's artistic signature to the entrance to the city.
An incubator for the performing arts
In addition to meeting the functional requirements for learning, creation and rehearsal for the various disciplines, the CPAS becomes a sort of incubator for the performing arts and a driving force for revitalization integrated into the Sherbrooke landscape. In keeping with the major intentions of the City of Sherbrooke's Urban Renewal Program, a new dialogue between the City of Sherbrooke and its creators is taking place in the heart of downtown. From now on, all can benefit from an imaginary world that pushes them further and makes them others. In an integrated urban gesture, the city of Sherbrooke will place an extrovert, luminous building at the heart of its downtown area, revealing its artistic energies.
(From competitor's text)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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