A significant project for the Quebec dance community, this building demonstrates that it is possible to create large-scale living environments that combine a distinct architectural signature with best practices in sustainable design.

The design of this cultural complex required special consideration by integrating this industrial building into the urban fabric of Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles. With the support of various partners, Ædifica’s team of experts in construction and sustainable design put in place innovative strategies to propel the Wilder Building to the next level of building performance and resource conservation in the pursuit of a LEED Certification issued by the Canada Green Building Council.

“The Wilder Building as we know it today is the result of a sustainable and integrated design strategy, involving a building’s energy performance, but also the revitalization of a building in its urban space,” says Guy Favreau, Vice President, Sustainable Design, at Ædifica.

Holding workshops on integrated design processes from the beginning of the project allowed building owners and partners to focus on the key components of the design strategy.

Performance, luminosity and comfort

By adding a double-wall skin to the existing facade, the team improved the building’s energy performance and also provided additional display support for the retransmission of images captured during special events.

Careful consideration was given to the integration of natural light and the optimization of views to the outside, thus placing the Wilder’s training studios among the most beautiful dance spaces in the world.

“The installation of a translucent and insulating glass on the walls of the new construction allowed us to optimize the diffusion of natural light while offering an energy efficient envelope,” adds Patrick Bernier, architect and project director, at Ædifica.

The team also developed a raised floor system ensuring optimal performance of a low-speed ventilation system, an efficient air-conditioning and the administrative spaces, in addition to concealing the electrical distribution system of lighting and fire protection, with specific regard for the comfort of occupants.

Sustainable innovation

Other eco-friendly measures worthy of mention include the reuse of the existing building structure and envelope to maintain its heritage value and reduce the quantity of new materials required; the development of a white roof to counteract the heat island effect, the appropriate disposing of more than 4,150 tonnes of contaminated soils and, finally, the diverting of more than 78 per cent of construction waste from landfills through recycling.

Ultimately, the implementation of different strategies resulted in a 28 per cent reduction in the building’s energy consumption.

About the Wilder | The Wilder Building is home to production and presentation venues for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal (LGBCM), the École de danse contemporaine de Montréal (EDCM), Tangente, and Agora de la danse; in addition to housing the Montreal offices of the Ministry of Culture and Communications and the Council of Arts and Letters. With a gross floor space in excess of 235,000 square feet, the project includes the renovation and expansion of the Wilder Building, a 10-storey heritage industrial building, built in 1918. The main players involved in this project are: the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI), Lapointe Magne + Ædifica, Pomerleau, SNC-Lavalin, Bouthillette Parizeau, Martin Roy et Associés, SDK/NCK, Octave acoustique, and Trizart Alliance.

About Ædifica | Founded in 1985, Ædifica is a collective of creators and experts with a shared desire to create inspiring, meaningful and sustainable living environments. Delivering projects of all scales and types across America, Ædifica relies on the synergistic know-how of its expertise to create mobilizing spaces for organizations, users and communities. From its headquarters in Montreal, as well as its offices in New York and the Caribbean, Ædifica brings together the creative efforts of nearly 200 talents for the benefit of its clients worldwide.