Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Pierre Lassonde Pavilion

Québec City, Canada

Project details
Client

Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec

Architect

OMA | Provencher Roy Associés Architectes

Duration

Completed in 2016

Services provided by Buro Happold

Lighting design

For almost a century, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec has been dedicated to providing a showcase for both local and international artists. The Pierre Lassonde Pavilion was designed to help carry this mission forward for future generations, providing the Musée with a world class building that not only doubles its exhibition space, but also forges a vital physical link with the city beyond.

Challenge

The Pavilion comprises three tiers, which cascade from the picturesque landscape of National Battlefields Park at the top of the Musée site down to the bustling Grand Allée below, creating a new interface between nature, art and the city.

To enhance this sense of connectivity the Pavilion is encased in glass. Varying from transparent, through translucent, to opaque, the facades open up a visual dialogue between the Musée and its natural and urban surroundings. In our role as lighting designer, Buro Happold was tasked with devising illuminations that worked with this architectural feature to attract people into the Musée, while also delivering a seamless experience for the visitors inside.

Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Pierre Lassonde Pavilion
Our engineers delivered an intelligent, intuitive lighting design that responds to the myriad of spaces and challenges posed by this project. Image: Gabe Guilliams

Solution

Guided by the varying opacity of the facades, our engineers developed a lighting concept that activates the transparent and translucent tiers by silhouetting visitors within the Pavilion, producing a dynamic tableau that entices passersby to step inside.

During the day, natural light is maximized to create bright and inviting public areas. As evening draws in, ambient lights in the ceiling provide additional illumination. These are also used in the gallery spaces, which are located behind opaque glass to shield the artwork from the harmful glare of direct sunlight.

Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Pierre Lassonde Pavilion
During the day, natural light creates bright and inviting public areas, while ambient lights respond to provide additional illumination come evening. Image: Gabe Guilliams
Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Pierre Lassonde Pavilion
Working in harmony with the striking architecture of the pavilion, our lighting scheme connects the Musée with both its urban and natural surroundings. Image: Gabe Guilliams

Value

Our low energy, responsive lighting design works in harmony with the architectural aesthetic of the Musée. It connects the Pierre Lassonde Pavilion with its surroundings, and allows it to transcend them to stand as a bold new addition to the Québec City art district.

Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Pierre Lassonde Pavilion
Developing a dynamic, low energy lighting strategy to illuminate the new Pierre Lassonde Pavilion at the Musée des beaux-arts du Québec. Image: Buro Happold

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