Caserne 56

Île Bizard’s Caserne 56 was designed to meet the growing need for emergency services in the borough. Inspired by the model of Caserne 14 in Rivière-des-Prairies, the project underwent several adjustments to optimize its layout on the site, as well as its technical and energy systems. 

The location, on Chèvremont Boulevard, offers a strategic position for easy access to the main roads, while respecting the surrounding residential setting, notably thanks to a tree-lined buffer zone that attenuates the visibility of the barracks from neighbouring homes.

The architectural design is structured around three distinct volumes, each with its own specific functions. The first volume, dedicated to administrative offices and rest areas, is characterized by the use of brick and glass, offering transparency while ensuring harmonious visual integration with its surroundings. 

The second volume, dedicated to the transition and activity of firefighters, features a distinctive glass facade that showcases rapid intervention, a determining factor for this facility. Finally, the third volume, reserved for emergency operations, is recognizable by its glass doors leading to the garage and its masonry and frosted glass tower, which also serves as a night-time landmark, thanks to the lighting that illuminates its summit.

This project scrupulously respected the functional and technical program of the City of Montreal's new fire stations. It includes a variety of spaces required for efficient operations, including staff offices, training facilities, dormitories, changing rooms, rest rooms and a garage for emergency vehicles. The heating system, formerly centralized, was converted to a propane gas-fired system to meet modern energy standards.

The project also received unanimous approval from Montreal's Comité Consultatif d'Urbanisme (CCU), a testament to the quality of its design and its integration into the urban and residential context.