Canadian architecture firm Chevalier Morales has added a contemporary annex to a Gothic Revival church in the historic neighbourhood of Old Quebec. The Maison de la Littérature library offers a peaceful escape from its dense urban setting, and, since its opening, has already become ‘a vibrant home to Canadian literature’, says the firm.
The Wesley Temple has had a tumultuous history. First conceived in 1848 by architect Edward Staveley as a Protestant church, it was closed in 1931, before being transformed in 1944 into a public library and concert hall for the Institut Canadien library group. The latter was closed to the public in 1999. Now, the renewed and extended Maison de la Littérature aims to offer fresh opportunity for the Institut, to help it pursue the mission of offering reading spaces for the public, while remaining one of the oldest libraries in the province of Quebec.
Chevalier Morales aimed to de-clutter the multi-use Wesley Temple, creating new direction for its creative future. Along with the library spaces, the Maison de la Littérature’s innovative programme also includes a concert hall, bistro, exhibition spaces, resident writer’s apartment, along with various studios to be rented by local students and artists.
As well as allocating functional space to serve these new purposes, the architects were keen to preserve and restore the (impressive) original structure, with its attractive grey bricks, arched windows, and turrets – hence the decision to create a separate volume, in which their modish architectural ideas had space to stretch, without the constraints of preservation. The siting of the new addition – which takes the form of a minimalist, transparent box with copper accents – was carefully conceived in order to preserve the temple’s integrity and presence as a civic centre, while enhancing the site: now a glass jewel in the crown of the historic neighbourhood.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Chevalier Morales website
-
An Indian mud house - and more, on Sketch Design Studio's natural material wondersSketch Design Studio in Rajasthan, India does wonders with the simplest ingredients
-
Experience this Singapore apartment’s Zen-like qualities and cocooning urban havenWelcome to Singapore apartment The Rasidence, a spacious, Zen-like interior by Right Angle Studio
-
The Park: step inside Jeremy King's mid-century dinerOne of several 2024 openings from restauranteur, Jeremy King, food critic Ben McCormack books in at The Park
-
This sustainable family home is an Ontario retreat in tune with its settingRidge House by Superkül is a private Canadian retreat that nods to its context and embraces nature and landscape
-
Bunkie on The Hill is a cosy Canadian cottage full of charmBunkie on The Hill, a design by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, is tucked into the trees, slotting neatly into Ontario's nature
-
Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: meet the practicesIn the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2024, our latest guide to exciting, emerging practices from around the world, 20 young studios show off their projects and passion
-
Svima looked to Japanese architecture, 'nature and ecology' for Passageway House in SerbiaThe Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 includes Svima, a young Canadian practice joining our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
-
'Tropicality' explored in Indonesian architect Andra Matin’s first monograph'Tropicality' is a key theme in a new book on Indonesian architect Andra Matin, whose work blends landscape, architecture and living
-
Arthur Erickson's Museum of Anthropology at UBC has been given a new lease of life in VancouverAfter an extensive renovation, The Museum of Anthropology is part Shinto shrine, part cathedral, part longhouse – and a temple to learning
-
A dramatic new lakeside cabin in the Canadian wilderness rises above the treesKariouk Architects' lakeside cabin ‘m.o.r.e. CLT’ explores new material approaches while making a minimal impact on a precious landscape
-
‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a lovingly compiled photographic portrait of cars and architecture‘A Time ⋅ A Place’ is a celebration of the European Car of the Year and changing perceptions of modern design, pairing the best buildings of the age with their automotive contemporaries
