Espace Citoyen des Confluents – Quebec, Canada
Title
Espace Citoyen des Confluents – Quebec, Canada
Website
Designed by
Cardin Julien
Image Credit
© David Boyer
Project Description
Project Description provided by Cardin Julien - Espace citoyen des Confluents transforms a former industrial brownfield
into a vibrant civic hub, where nature shapes community life over the
long term. Today, a library, cultural spaces, and municipal services form
a public complex crisscrossed with pathways, rest areas, and an active
mobility network connecting neighbouring districts.
Inspired by the transformation process specific to the former
petrochemical plant, the design engages the site in a reverse dynamic,
recreating conditions that support environmental recovery. Situated at
the intersection of Laval’s Saint-François and Duvernay-Est districts, the
project addresses two defining challenges: remedying a long-standing
lack of local amenities while restoring the ecological capacity of a
vulnerable territory.
Water forms the backbone of the design. A network of interconnected
retention basins manages 100% of on-site stormwater and structures
the flow of activity in the space. Visible and integrated into the pathway,
this surface hydrology fosters the gradual establishment of a rich and
resilient biodiversity.
More than 300 trees, wildlife corridors, and intentionally preserved
spontaneous vegetation form an evolving ecosystem, offering residents
the rare experience of a dense green space within an established urban
setting. Here, nature becomes a living framework that shapes uses, social
relations, and a sense of belonging.
