Grande Bibliothèque du Québec (GBQ)
2000
Montréal, Quebec, Canada- Architecture for culture, research, sport or leisure
- Building
- Library
This international architectural competition to select an architect, consortium or team for the study and design of the Grande Bibliothèque de Québec was launched in January of 2000. This library was to be situated in Montréal within the quadrilateral formed by Berri, Ontario, Savoie and de Maisonneuve East streets. As a central public library, the building was to fulfill two functions: the loan of material from the Central Montréal Library Collection and the distribution of Québec heritage documentation, currently held within the National Library of Québec and solely available for internal consultation.
In this competition, the Grande Bibliothèque de Québec was not presented as an average building, but rather as a new national cultural institution, the most significant to be created since the Université de Québec at the end of the 1960s.
This was the first international architectural competition to be organized for the construction of a public building in Québec. The holding of this competition was a result of the Québec Ministry of Culture and Communications' desire to promote and establish architectural competitions within the province. This event was organized in two phases: the first involved an international Call for Candidates and the second phase consisted of a remunerated, non-anonymous concept elaboration. It is important to note that from the first phase of this competition, all participating international architects were required to collaborate with a provincial architectural firm.
In this competition, the Grande Bibliothèque de Québec was not presented as an average building, but rather as a new national cultural institution, the most significant to be created since the Université de Québec at the end of the 1960s.
This was the first international architectural competition to be organized for the construction of a public building in Québec. The holding of this competition was a result of the Québec Ministry of Culture and Communications' desire to promote and establish architectural competitions within the province. This event was organized in two phases: the first involved an international Call for Candidates and the second phase consisted of a remunerated, non-anonymous concept elaboration. It is important to note that from the first phase of this competition, all participating international architects were required to collaborate with a provincial architectural firm.