L’Assomption, Quebec, Canada

The competition organized for Salle de spectacles de l'Assomption was an initiative and collaboration between the Hector-Charland Corporation and the Québec Ministry of Culture and Communications - faithful to its policy and support of locating cultural facilities that encourage activity and economic repercussions within the various regions of Québec. Acknowledging the destituteness of its facilities, the Collège de l'Assomption decided in 1987 to conduct a fund-raising campaign and one year later form the Hector-Charland Corporation in order to provide the municipality with facilities corresponding to its rich theatrical traditions. The construction of a 650-seat performing arts venue, of 1,815m2, was a vital element of a greater project to revitalize the city centre and promote educational, communal, cultural and artistic activities within l'Assomption – a culturally significant municipality located in the Lanaudière region.

The key issue of this competition was to establish a link between the versatility and flexibility of infrastructures in harmony with the existing architectural heritage and at once dialogue with the Collège de l'Assomption – an institutional building dominating the surrounding landscape. The competition's jury identified the following important selection criteria; urban integration, revitalization potential, the quality of exterior public space and architectural envelope, accessibility and respect of budgetary constraints.

The Call for Candidates stipulated that, with equal competency, a regional architectural firm would be selected over firms based elsewhere in Québec. Thus for this competition, several firms exterior to the Lanaudière region associated with local firms in order to maximize their chances of winning.