Lab-École - Stadacona elementary school

Lab-École's first project, this neighborhood public school has 20 classrooms and welcomes 400 students from kindergarten age 4 to grade 6. L'école en paliers is a proposal for an urban school, full of life, that radiates out into its neighborhood; a new symbol of identity in the Limoilou landscape.

The project unfolds in three volumes, distinguished by their materiality: the community volume, the learning street volume and the learning community volume. The brick basilaire, with its arcades, reflects the scale of the duplexes typical of the Limoilou district. The upper volume, placed on top of the basilaire, is made of light green cladding, echoing the mature trees of the neighborhood and the roof of the nearby church. The natural topography of the site favors an L-shaped building form on the upper plateau, in order to preserve and enhance the mature trees on the site. This allows for a south-facing courtyard on two universally accessible levels, creating a microclimate sheltered from prevailing winds. The large entrance courtyard generously welcomes students and connects the school to the neighborhood, reinforcing the unique community and social fabric of the Limoilou district.