Augustines Museums Reserve

The Réserve muséale des Augustines was created to preserve, document and disseminate the rich heritage left by this religious community dedicated to caring for the sick and destitute. Bringing together the collections of twelve Augustinian monasteries, the reserve houses a vast collection of objects, archives, old books, historical documents, textiles and artifacts linked to the history of the religious community.

After analysis, it was decided that the storeroom would be built on the site of the Augustinian Monastery, by raising the Saint-Augustin wing by one floor and partially refurbishing level 0 of the same wing. Since the walls of the conservation spaces had to be opaque, and the building's structural capacity was limited, masonry was not used for the envelope.

For harmonious integration, the planned additional storey was inspired by the metal roofing of Old Quebec, characterized by pierced surfaces with few openings. The silver-metallic stainless steel used recalls the original use of sheet metal to protect roofs from fire-spreading embers. A reinterpretation of the niches housing the statues of the patron saints characteristic of religious buildings is materialized by showcases that make the volume less massive and reveal works or lighting effects linked to temporary exhibitions.