The Ruisseau de Feu Conservation Park stands as a pivotal environmental revitalization project in Quebec, offering birdwatching with over 200 species and educational opportunities.
Rethinking The Future Awards 2024
Third Award | Public Landscape (Built)
Project Name: Ruisseau de Feu Conservation Park
Category: Public Landscape (Built)
Studio Name: Projet Paysage
Design Team:
- Maxime Brisebois — Projet Paysage: Project Manager
- Gianna Cabanas — Projet Paysage: Master Planning and Lead Designer
- David Lonergan — Projet Paysage: Lead Construction Manager
Area: 2500 square metres
Year: 2020
Location: Terrebonne (Greater Montreal), Quebec, Canada
Consultants:
- ABCP Architecture — Architecture Firm
- EMS — Engineering Firm
Photography Credits: Vincent Brillant
Render Credits: None
Other Credits: None
It provides stunning views of diverse and rich ecosystems — marshes, meadows and rivers — and aims to foster eco-friendly tourism. Work involved different instances and was done in collaboration with Duck Unlimited Canada as well as the Canadian Ministry of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change. Accessibility and preservation of the delicate wetlands and avian life, especially migratory birds, were central to its design.
Adjacent to residential neighborhoods and linked by a bike path, the park’s facilities were crafted to allow birdwatchers, photographers and residents alike to circulate freely. The vision was to establish a sanctuary, where human activity harmonizes with the natural environment. This led to the striking entrance structure, offering a true window into nature. Additionally, the park features strategically positioned urban furniture, providing spots for relaxation and optimal wildlife observation.
The infrastructures constructed on piles, such as footbridges, serve as the main solution to minimize any impact on the local fauna and flora. The piles allow both animals and plants to circulate across the paths without impediments and make the park accessible to humans regardless of fluctuating water levels below. Interpretive stations further enrich visitors’ understanding of the surrounding environment. Using wood in constructing the footbridges not only blends them seamlessly into the landscape but also mitigates noise from footsteps, reducing disturbance to wildlife. The entrance platform, observation tower, and signage all feature galvanized steel coated in rust-colored paint, echoing the aesthetic of the bridge backdrop.
Central to the park’s ethos is a shelter that doubles as an amphitheater, surrounded by bleachers that rise in harmony with the landscape. This refuge was designed to be a shaded rest area as well as a convergence place for educational demonstrations and outings. Further on and overlooking the marsh, a belvedere discreetly integrates with a water level management structure, offering a unique vantage point of avian habitats while also concealing the technical installations. As you walk deeper into the park and next to the rivière des Prairies, a seasonal fish-viewing platform immerses visitors in the ecosystem, allowing them to observe underwater migration roads. The experience is crowned by an observation tower that provides a panoramic perspective of the park’s diverse habitats. The perfect spot for birdwatchers from which to witness the immense diversity of the site — to observe the fauna from season to season.
The project’s design reflects a commitment to education and serves as a testament of our collective capacity to coexist with vulnerable habitats while also enjoying rich environments.
