Announced as the largest cultural project of the decade in Québec, the Épicentre-Culturel is at the heart of Laval 2035’s strategic vision, establishing itself as a major civic landmark. Benefiting from its prime location between university campuses, and directly across from the main public transportation hub, it fosters the city’s cultural evolution, bringing together the Anne-Marie-Alonzo Central Library and the Lysane-Gendro Professional Artistic Creation Centre.
Global Design & Architecture Design Awards 2025
First Award | Cultural (Concept)
Project Name: L’Épicentre-Culturel
Category: Cultural (Concept)
Studio Name: NEUF architect(e)s
Design Team: M. Asselin, Z. Benchekroun, W. Mseffar, I. Nazarova, J. Potts, A. Sauvage, K. Yamazaki, W. Zhou (Atelier TAG); A. Bernier, A. Le Quang, M.-È. Julien Bouchard, M. Fawzy, N. Onfroy, B. T. Rajamason (NEUF architect(e)s)
Area: 258,300 ft² / 24,000 m²
Year: Onging
Location: Laval, Quebec, Canada
Consultants: Projet Paysage (Landscape Architecture)
Photography Credits: /
Render Credits: Doug & Wolf
Other Credits: NEUF (drawings)
The architectural design engages in a compelling dialogue with the surrounding urban fabric, employing a spatial transparency strategy that highlights the venue’s rich cultural offerings.
Its street-facing façades provide cohesive, open views, promoting an inviting atmosphere and encouraging inclusive, participatory civic engagement. The building is both a symbol and a gathering place, linking artistic disciplines, institutions, and communities in a seamless flow.
The Épicentre-Culturel is conceived as an architecturally landscaped space that blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors. The design stands out for its clarity and visual organization, highlighting the program’s main elements through a unique geometry and materiality. Large timber-clad drums anchor the architecture, guiding users through a memorable interior landscape promenade that offers a variety of adaptable spaces. These monoliths embody the dual identity of the institution, with concave volumes housing the library and convex volumes dedicated to the cultural centre, together creating spaces that encourage informal encounters and shared experiences.
By accommodating 15 artistic organizations, the Épicentre-Culturel will become a dynamic core of creativity in Laval. It unites a wide range of disciplines, including media, digital, and visual arts, cinema, dance, literature, music, heritage, and theatre. This convergence will enrich both the artistic community and the wider public, fostering deeper cultural engagement and inspiring collaboration across sectors. Through its bold architecture, strategic positioning, and integration into the life of the city, the Épicentre-Culturel stands as a lasting testament to Laval’s commitment to culture and community.
