Anne-Hébert Library
- LocationSainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier (Québec)
- ClientCity of Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier
- year2018
- CertificationPrix Cecobois
- PHOTODavid Boyer
A vibrant and light-filled timber library for learning and community.
Connected to Explorateurs Elementary School, the Anne-Hébert Library was conceived as a place for learning, creativity, and community gathering. Contemporary, welcoming, and universally accessible, it provides residents and students alike with a vibrant cultural destination woven into everyday life.
Covering 730 m², the library houses a collection of more than 35,000 books, a children's performance area, meeting rooms, private workspaces, an exhibition gallery, and a range of support facilities. Linked to the school by an elevated pedestrian bridge, it encourages shared use by students and the broader community. The design offers a variety of atmospheres and flexible spaces tailored to different user groups, with particular attention given to children's areas and innovative learning environments. Flooded with natural light, the main reading room is defined by its calm contemporary atmosphere and the prominent presence of its exposed timber structure.
The project showcases the versatility of wood at every scale, from the structural system and integrated millwork to the exterior cladding. At the heart of the building, a regular grid of glued laminated timber beams and columns organizes the space, supports the interior layout, and creates welcoming areas for reading, discovery, and gathering. Bookshelves, the children's stage, and custom furnishings extend this material continuity, while the painted spruce exterior ensures a harmonious integration with the adjacent school. Constructed entirely in wood, the library offers a cohesive, warm, and inspiring environment where architecture fully enhances the user experience.
