Bibliothèque Marie-Claire Blais
The renovation of the Canardière Library in Quebec City, now called known as the Marie-Claire Blais Library, was carried out with the aim objective of giving paper-reading users back the freedom to enjoy the space in a multitude of ways.
Revamped and renamed in honour of the Quebec City-born distinguished writer, the library is entirely dedicated to her work, and has been remodeled in an open and bright environment. In this predominantly white space, natural light abounds thanks to the skylight, which bathes the entire area with exceptional luminosity. The entrance is marked by a dark ceiling that brings contrast and elegance.
A multitude of different types of workspaces and seating arrangements promoting literary discovery.
Placing the book at the heart of the decor, the layout is built around cubic volumes alternating colour and wood. This allows for visual cues, sub-environment segmentation, and a variety of seating and work areas.
The consultation area is laid out with long clusters of tables punctuated by tall reading lamps. Meanwhile, the shelving, reading benches, main carpet and walls are all in light shades to maximize overall brightness of the reading space and thus optimize the reader’s experience.
In the centre of the library sits a row of orange reading benches. The colourful mass, both visually attractive and dynamic, also serves as a psychological and physical separation from the book shelving. The same touch of orange is found in the youth section, introduced in sharp contrast with the bright blue colour of the benches and carpet to energize the space.
