This July, 25 students from the Residential and Commercial Drafting program took an enlightening educational outing to the Canadian Centre of Architecture (CCA) as it relates to their Reinforced Concrete module of the program.
The visit began in the garden where pieces of art made of steel and concrete offer a new interpretation of the architectural history of the city of Montreal, by representing or imitating existing buildings. While crossing Ville-Marie autoroute, someone can get a glimpse of these art-pillars. The slope that one has to climb in order to reach the garden derives from the amount of ground that was excavated for the building’s foundation, in order to offer a panoramic view of the manufacturing area of the city. While in the interior, we had the chance to learn about the Museum’s history and the Shaughnessy House by taking an interactive tour.
Questions and answers were ‘floating’ in the air as we crossed the CCA’s corridors and exited from the Amphitheater to the Library, the designing details fascinated the group immensely. We were informed that the library has a wide selection of archives ranging from 12th century to now, and that we were invited to visit them whenever we want for free. We received a concrete idea of the designs’ “translation” to real space and the impact that both have in the way we experience the environment around us.
We also had the chance to recognize the 5 basic materials that were mostly used in the interior and exterior of the building (stone, steel, maple wood, aluminium, black marble), all products of Canada in order to enhance the connection of the building with its location.
The peace and quiet that emerges from that place definitely deserves another visit!
Alma Tralo & Martine Beaulieu
Drafting Teachers