Multifunctional Aquatic Complex in Lévis

Location Lévis, Québec, Canada

Client/operator City of Lévis

Architects ABCP architecture CA – G1K 7R1 Québec www.abcparchitecture.com

Bilodeau Baril Lemming architects CA – G6V 4E2 Lévis www.architectes.ca

Design Team Michel Veilleux, Vadim Siegel, Guillaume Bélanger, Benoît Lemay, Simon Bérubé, Marc-André Simard

Author ABCP architecture Bilodeau Baril Lemming architects

Photos Stéphane Groleau

Official Opening January 2020

Construction costs CAD 25.8 million (EUR 17.4 million)

DOUBLING THE SPORTS PROGRAMME IN THE REGION

MULTIFUNCTIONAL AQUATIC COMPLEX IN LÉVIS, QC

The new Multifunctional Aquatic Complex has two main sections: the ground-level waterway and a community and dance component upstairs. The whole is served by a large crossing hall open on the two levels of the building, a real crossroads between the different functions and users. Upstairs, a spectator area and stands with a capacity of 280 people allow parents to gather during activities while enjoying a full view of the pools.

The Multifunctional Aquatic Complex is located lengthwise on the Route des Rivières to promote urban densification, assert the presence of the public building, preserve and strengthen the existing woodland, integrate parking lots and facilitate accessibility. The irregularly shaped plot is bordered to the north by a medium-density residential development and to the south by a high school.

Direct and inviting access The crossing reception hall is located to the north of the building. It is both the entry point to the complex, but also a bright space open on two floors promoting meetings and exchanges. On the ground floor of this section are all the functions related to swimming. Relatively controlled, these functions are served by a longglazed corridor on the Route des Rivières, thus promoting activity on the street and allowing natural lighting.

Access to the upper floor is via a monumental staircase giving access to a multifunctional room, the dance school, bleachers and upper foyer. Continuing with the reception hall and

enjoying a spectacular view of the pools, the foyer serves as a relaxation area for the various upstairs rooms and as a meeting and viewing platform. Access to the dance school is direct from the front of the hall staircase. This localization makes it possible to give a real internal address to this function. The dance studios, like the multifunctional hall, are distributed over the front façades of the building.

Hybrid wood-and-steel structure Over 46 metres of skylight separates the two sections of the building and floods the centre of the pool with natural light. The imposing volume of the pools is animated by a spectacular hybrid wood-and-steel structure that creates a unique place for the practice of water sports and general fun. The use of steel for the long spans and wood for the intermediate spans has proven far more cost-effective than a wood-only structure. The ground floor includes a 25 x 25 m competition lap pool with 1 m and 3 m springboards, 3 m and 5 m platforms and fixed bleachers for a capacity of 200 places. There is also a leisure pool with four 25 m lanes, fountains, a 45 m long water slide, universal changing rooms, a training room, premises for sports organizations, and classrooms.

Accessibility From the entrance hall, dedicated spaces are available for recharging scooters. The accessible washrooms are designed with clearances exceeding accessibility standards. The elevator leads to the pool bleachers level which has places for wheelchair users with companions.

The change rooms are fully accessible to accommodate users of all genders and mobility levels. Accessibility is not limited to the universal locker room but also extends to gendered change facilities that include accessible showers,

lockers, and toilets. The change rooms also include a room with a lift and an adult changing table for people with significant disabilities.

Material reflecting Québec’s history and heritage The roof of the complex is a 2,300 m² glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel structure supported by a steel truss, all fabricated from black spruce, the symbol of the boreal forest. It is a coniferous species able to withstand some of the harshest climates anywhere. This generous resource, found only in North America, boasts an astonishing rate of renewal.

Black spruce is the most sought-after structural timber in the construction industry due to its superior mechanical and environmental properties. It is known for its straightness, durability, light weight and dimensional stability, as well as its unparalleled fibre density, resistance to fire and thermal insulation. Black spruce is more than just a forest resource; it is a big part of Québec’s history and heritage.

Curtain Metal cladding unfolds all around the complex. The windows to the north of the recreational pool are treated as large openings on the scale of the volume of the aquatic sector, eight metres high, admitting diffused light. Their northern orientation also limits direct sunlight on the surface of the water that can cause annoying reflections for rescuers. More closed to the outside to control lighting

Mechanical Bleachers Dance studio Teachers area Change area Main hall Costume Offices Foyer Kitchen Multi-purpose room Washroom Janitor

from the south, the sports pool does however offer a view of the wooded area to the west of the building.

Glazing performance The high relative humidity in the swimming pool area and the high temperature differential in winter from 30° Celsius indoors to -25° C outdoors remains a significant challenge for construction in Nordic countries. To control condensation, heated glazing consisting of a double sealed unit was used, with one of the panes including a conductive layer. In the absence of electrical voltage, the sealed unit behaves like normal double glazing. In the presence of electrical voltage, the conductive layer transforms electrical energy into radiant heat to eliminate any risk of condensation. Noise reduction strategies A perforated acoustic deck installed between the columns covers the exterior walls on three façades of the swimming pool. In addition to serving as a support for the building envelope, it increases the absorbent surface area of the space to minimize echo. On the ceiling, although the wooden structure has good sound attenuating properties, three 66 m long bands of acoustic panels are inserted into the triangulated trusses. On the interior partitions, the absorbent surfaces also include wall-mounted acoustic panels. Hard surfaces have also received special attention, such as the choice of using a porous brick rather than a smooth one. In total, the acoustic absorbent surface area in the swimming pool amounts to 1,524 m², achieving a reverberation time of 1.7 seconds.