BOX IN A BOX
Adaptive Reuse; Theatre Space Teamwork
SCHOOL PROJECT MASTER’S
SEYEDEBRAHIM CAFE
Restoration + Renovation Teamwork
SCHOOL PROJECT BACHELOR’S
KALALAQ VILLAGE
Revitalization + Redidential design Teamwork
SCHOOL PROJECT BACHELOR’S
Adaprive Reuse of Firestation 14 Theatre Space
This project involved the repurposing of an old fire station to transform it into a theater. According to the 2023 Equity Index of Montreal, the integration of a cultural venue is essential in the area surrounding the fire station. With this in mind, we propose a performing arts center with two performance halls as an adaptive reuse of the fire station.
The front facade, the tower, the party walls, and the frontal sculpture are considered part of the heritage character of Fire Station 14. Built in 1912-1913 by Louis-Roch Montbriand, who designed many other fire stations, the front facade of the station is in the neoclassical style, evident in the symmetry of the facade and the richness of the materials used.
“A BOX IN A BOX” respecte la structure d’origine tout en accueillant un nouveau programme.
Our strategy is to preserve the original structure while integrating a new program. This approach allows us to harmonize the old and new elements, while providing flexibility in their arrangement within the existing structure.
In our proposal, we have planned two theaters with two distinct experiences: an auditorium-style theater and a smaller theater that can also be used as a rehearsal space.
During our site visit, we conducted a 3D scan of the building. By comparing these scans with the original plans of Fire Station 14, we observed the presence of cross corridors that effectively structure the spaces. One of these corridors leads directly to the Tower, as shown in the image.
We wanted our circulation path to always offer an unobstructed view of the tower, so that the public could always see it upon entering the building. This idea of a clear path toward the tower defined our main circulation axis.
Through an iterative process, the circulation route was chosen for its optimal view of the tower, as well as for its effective thermal strategy.
To create a thermal loop, it was important to divide the space into three distinct zones. Space 1 (the lobby) receives fresh air, which then circulates through Space 2 (the theater) and finally escapes through ventilation in Space 3 (circulation and tower). This cycle repeats, thus creating the thermal loop.
Differences in the stacked theater spaces: The ground floor offers more space for performances and equipment, while the theater on the first floor can be used for smaller productions and a more intimate audience.
MATERIAL CALCULATION AND CARBON FOOTPRINT.
Material Mass:
Glass: 91 550 kg
Concreter: 1 059 000 kg
Steel Structure: 330 368 kg
Brick: 813 900 kg
Gypsum: 68 908 kg
The collage focuses on the materiality inside the Fire Station. In the collage, we can see the combination of the existing red brick with the new red glass material within the building.
We wanted to overlay glass on the bricks to create moments where the public could see the history behind the walls, rather than hiding it with a completely opaque material. The material is new and semi-transparent, which does not obscure the existing building but rather illustrates a moment where the old and the new are combined, much like our conceptual model at the “Undrawn” stage.
