Planetarium

Montreal, Canada

International Competition

For the design of the new Planetarium, we exploited the concept of horizontality. This concept enables a dialogue with the landscape of the Olympic Park and the Botanical Garden marked by the magnitude and assertiveness of the large facilities. Therefore, the idea for the Planetarium constitutes a “landscape building”: the ultimate intermediary place. As an interlude in the middle of the site, this building is there to accommodate very specific functions. It also becomes an "inhabited" place from the outside increasing the collective character of the Olympic Park already recognized by the citizens of Montreal and moreover.

Overall, the project consists of three defined horizontal strata. The first one is the most introverted. It hosts part of the public spaces, which benefit from generous natural lighting, and almost all of the technical spaces necessary for the Planetarium’s operations. The second layer is directly connected to existing collective spaces. Ethereal, it presents almost completely dematerialized limits to strengthen the physical and visual connection between the existing esplanade and the most frequented interior space. Finally, the last layer is made out of perforated metal. It reflects natural light during the day and, thanks to an artificial illumination device, becomes a sky studded with stars at night.

The building is characterized by the use of simple and elementary materials such as glass, concrete, and aluminum. Digital cutting processes are used to define the metallic cladding of the facades and the ceiling. The surfaces of both star theaters’ spheres, made out of smooth and shiny aluminum, favor the reflection of both natural and artificial light. 

With A. Vallières