BAnQ’s Grand Library – Montreal

“I particularly remember visiting La Grande Bibliothèque du Québec by Patkau Architects, Menkès Shooner Dagenais Le Tourneux Architectes, and Croft Pelletier. It was one of the first buildings I visited during a class trip. I remember the long corridor connecting the upper floors, which created an intimate experience that welcomed me inside the building. The atmosphere of the building was unlike anything I had visited.

When I first arrived at the site, I was greeted by a large façade that made me enter from the side door to enter the main lobby space. I found that the building was close to public transportation, which made the project accessible. Each library space was connected by pedestrian pathways that connected the public. What most impressed me was the vertical circulation that connected me to the rest of the building through the large atrium space. It provided easy wayfinding to program spaces such as the exhibition space, bookstores, public library, and café. I found the rooms knit together, especially the separation between the archives and public spaces. The views throughout the building were spectacular because they showed transitions between the public open areas to the more privatized program elements. I found myself drawn to the size of the library because it felt like the building catered to many people for different uses throughout the day. You could go to the area for a conversation, to eat food, explore the archives, and find a book, DVD, CD player, among others. The building made me feel like I was in a mall shopping for something, given its extensive program catered to accessory uses.

At the same time, offices and breakout spaces surround the building and connect the user with the central circulation pathways. Another point I found necessary in the building was its rich history in francophone culture. When I learned more about the building in my class, I found that culture was essential to developing the building with different atmospheres in mind. Living outside Montreal has taught me how different cultures can unite to promote togetherness through the built environment. From the building to the rich history of the community, the building creates an atmosphere that has to be admired for its willingness to be accessible to all while contributing to the area’s cultural heritage.” (Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.26).

Google map link: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Grande+Biblioth%C3%A8que+de+BAnQ/@45.515459,-73.5648932,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x4cc91bb33b2f88f9:0xc74e1f9c890593ed!8m2!3d45.5154553!4d-73.5623129!16zL20vMDQ0M2Y2!5m1!1e1