Charles-De Koninck Pavilion - Laval University

To double the cafeteria capacity of the Charles De Koninck Buildingat Québec City’s Laval University, LEMAYMICHAUD designed a new, glass-walled pavilion to be nestled in its inner courtyard.  The new pavilion’s dining areas afford a relaxing atmosphere where students can take their meals during the cafeteria’s peak hours and hold meetings or study at other times.

The new pavilion has a flowering rooftop garden that meets sustainable-development requirements both by saving energy and by helping to absorb rainwater, while at the same time affording an attractive view from the windows of the older building around it.

The chosen design consists of a simple volume whose footprint and height harmonize with the dimensions of the courtyard and the height of the surrounding older building’s façades.  The pavilion’s dark colour and minimalist architectural treatment contrast with the older building while still allowing both architectural visions to be expressed fully.

To achieve the desired transparency and lightness, LEMAYMICHAUD designed the pavilion so that there are no major structural columns obstructing the view anywhere around its perimeter. Instead, slim columns support bays of windows that merge at the top with horizontal glass surfaces affording views of the open sky. Only the wooden interior columns are more substantial, supporting the roof and creating the impression that it is floating above the glass walls.

The tunnel connecting the new pavilion to the older building is equipped with a pair of fire-resistant doors at either end, so that from the standpoint of the Building Code, the new pavilion fully qualifies as an independent building. We were therefore able to meet the university’s need to double the  total allowable occupancy of their cafeteria spaces without having to bring the older building up to newer safety standards, because the only changes there involved the renovation of the existing cafeteria.

Learn more about the project on the Laval University Website.

Check out other LEMAYMICHAUD institutional projects.