In Quebec City, as elsewhere, one rarely sees a parking garage worthy of attention. But a new five-storey structure on the city?s periphery makes a delightfully bold statement. The building of this unusual shopping centre parkade however was the result of a series of coinciding events. For a start, the owners of Place Sainte-Foy, Quebec City?s very first mall, were facing the need to replace an existing parking facility that had long been considered an eyesore. New planning regulations had just been adopted in an attempt to make the area more amenable to local residents. Municipal authorities eventually agreed to a zoning amendment on condition that the architects come up with a visually compelling concept.
The new Place Sainte-Foy Parkade is proof that even parking structures can be designed in a visually compelling way. Ivanhoé Cambridge, who built the mall in 1957?and still owns it?hired Coarchitecture, a well-known Quebec City firm to design the structure.
The firm has developed over the years a strong reputation for its innovative use of materials and its environmentally sound approach to building. It has also attracted attention for its increasing design capabilities.
The program was simple, yet challenging: it called for a naturally ventilated building that would appeal to the eye, enhance shoppers? experience, and hide from view up to 700 parked cars. The idea of an urban forest came up as the architects searched for a narrative. The site is located on territory on...