CPE La Volière

Located on an exceptional site, between river and mountain, the design process for the new La Volière daycare facility draws on an environment characterized by the immensity of the river landscape, revealed against a hilly backdrop. The project’s identity takes shape in dialogue with its context, including the omnipresent natural setting of the Laurentians.

In an effort to showcase the site, the project is placed on the land in an enveloping gesture. The volume thus surrounds a generous interior courtyard, providing children with visual access to the St. Lawrence River. Furthermore, by creating permeable axes, pathways, and interior spaces in constant connection with the outdoors, the project allows children to experience the different facets of the river at their own pace. Through its focus, the project seeks to enhance the child’s daily experience, fostering their development through moments of observation and curiosity directed toward the surrounding flora and fauna. Contemplation and discovery thus become key elements of the identity of the La Volière daycare center.

Finally, the building’s design is modest, with simple lines inspired by traditional regional architecture and the use of noble materials. Just as the desire to maintain an unobstructed view of the river, the daycare center’s program and its operation also dictate the building’s volumetric layout, which subsequently allows for the integration of architectural expressions that energize the landscape while paying homage to it.