Building the future | The Press

Three freshly graduated architecture interns talk about their vision of the urban and regional residential fabric. Inspired and inspiring, they offer, each in their own way, solutions based on common values ​​that respect the existing, the environment and nature to shape the landscape of tomorrow. Portraits.

Emmanuelle Mozayan-Verschaeve
special collaboration

Maude Tousignant-Bilodeau

Create a collective dynamic

Holder of a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Montreal, Maude Tousignant-Bilodeau is above all driven by projects that will redefine the standards of typology that we know.

“We will see it especially in collective housing in the city, but also in individual house projects by pushing the interior-exterior relationship even further. It’s a new way of living with our neighborhood in close proximity since we’re talking about making cities denser and sharing spaces. It takes us out of our comfort zones and pushes us to think about how we are ready to live according to another, more communal way of life,” explains the young woman. For her, restricting the private spaces reserved for the family unit would not affect comfort insofar as shared spaces are added.

A good coexistence between people also requires a coherent harmonization of buildings in the landscape, whether in town or in the region. “I think that when you choose a site to build a family residence, the construction must reflect what you find there because it will have an impact on the existing living environment. She also stresses the importance of favoring durable materials. “Wood is the material with the lowest ecological footprint, because it is reusable and does not need to be transformed. It is also a good insulator and we have a lot of it in Quebec. »

Finally, the conservation of plant cover takes a prominent place for Maude Tousignant-Bilodeau. “We realized that the lack of vegetation meant problems, particularly in regulating the evacuation of rainwater in the city. I therefore think that the green equation is essential, that it must be integrated into architectural projects by choosing, for example, permeable paving stones rather than asphalt and working on it as a design element that will be part of the daily life of users. . »

Laurie Bedard

Restoring the rural landscape

The pandemic has prompted many people to settle in the countryside and the need for housing is felt in the regions. “I am very interested in rural areas and the way in which they could grow in their village center,” emphasizes Laurie Bédard, who is currently completing her double master’s degree in architecture and urban design at Université Laval. Laurie strongly believes in the restoration of old buildings and is committed to contributing and helping owners of farmhouses and other treasures of ancient architecture.

Many city dwellers have taken advantage of teleworking to find peace of mind away from the city, and for Laurie, it is precisely necessary to be careful not to distort these environments. “The restoration of buildings is really part of an ecological vision because it is always less polluting to renovate than to build. I think you have to consider templates without necessarily copying the existing style, but proposing projects that are harmonious,” she says. We can take advantage of this to improve energy performance, but I think we should also question our real needs in terms of living space, knowing that they have increased by 60% since the 1970s,” she maintains.

The notion of durability is close to the heart of the young woman who favors natural materials. “Even though the wood has to be repainted every year, it is warm and durable, unlike contemporary coatings like vinyl which do not require maintenance, but which will go in the trash when it is too worn”, remarks the one who is awarded the prize “Meritorious and contributive intervention in the landscape (built)” in 2021 relating to the creation of a civic center for the village of Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse.

Kaloyan Kalev

Think very long term

The man who obtained his master’s degree in architecture at McGill University firmly believes that it is by observing and analyzing the existing that we manage to establish sustainable projects, relevant in the environment and which meet people’s needs. “The more you observe certain projects, the more you fall in love with them because they themselves demonstrate the time and energy invested,” he remarks.

Knowledge of the site, the environmental context, the integration of the project as a whole are fundamental concepts for him. “You can’t have a preconceived idea of ​​a project; it will shape itself according to the place. »

On the other hand, geographical location and localization are determining factors in the choice of materials. “I think every material has its pros and cons, none is perfect; the choice depends above all on the climate, the possible use of the material to its maximum capacity, local availability and the water and energy requirements that are necessary to use them. We can also wonder about the distance traveled to import our precious red mahogany flooring,” says the young man, who believes that this type of thinking is likely to influence our choices.

Besides the longevity of buildings, Kaloyan Kalev reflects on how to solve the problem of the lack of housing in certain sectors and believes that the solution is neither in densification nor in construction in an already overcrowded place. “I think it could even get worse. I wonder if we could revisit our perception of the urban environment, by creating several attractive downtown areas instead of just one, for example. He also considers that vegetation should occupy a place of choice in the architectural landscape. “Each plant, each tree gives a little life to inanimate objects and besides the visual aspect, the plant has a positive impact on the well-being of people and on the immediate environment, especially when we favor native plants. »