An open reflection on the relationship between architecture and its environment

From April 15 to May 27, 2023, Atelier Pierre Thibault presents twenty architectural projects in symbiosis with large spaces as part of an immersive exhibition at the Galerie d'architecture de Paris. Atelier Pierre Thibault's Drawings, models, books, sketchbooks, and objects are freely displayed in the space, creating an architectural constellation questioning the different relationships existing between architectural projects, landscapes, and cultural and natural contexts.

The exhibition Territories and Landscapes by Atelier Pierre Thibault
Photo credit: Pierre-Ulric Gagné

Organized in several tables, reminiscent of an open and creative workshop, the exhibition invites the public to literally and figuratively wander through the Quebec territory, discovering the architectural figures and landscapes that comprise it.

To that end, some twenty projects designed by Atelier Pierre Thibault, from its founding in 1988 until today, are presented, ranging from ephemeral installations to ambitious institutional projects and residential projects. Visitors will have the chance to experience the silence that cradles the Cistercian monks in their abbey in Saint-Jean-de-Matha; to imagine the impressive roar of the waterfalls that envelops Belvédère Val-Jalbert; to discover the fragile yet powerful beauty of the banks of the St. Lawrence River and the ephemeral installations that inhabit it; and to plunge into the vibrant greens of Quebec's forests, among others.

About Atelier Pierre Thibault

Founded in 1988 by architect Pierre Thibault, Atelier Pierre Thibault uses the unique transformative power of the seasons to create spaces that capture singular moments with acuity: the intense light of winter on snow, the exuberance of colors in late summer, the softness of warm days in summer, or the spring explosion of nature. All the senses are called upon to experience the architect's spaces, each project being an opportunity to create a particular narrative that creates a dialogue between the landscapes and the humans who inhabit them. Atelier Pierre Thibault has recently completed major projects that includes the new pavilion at Collège Durocher in Saint-Lambert, and the Collège Sainte-Anne in Montreal.

The team of Atelier Pierre Thibault photographed at the Great Hall of the Reford Gardens completed in 2022
Photo credit: Atelier Pierre Thibault

The architect has been involved for several years in a major initiative to redefine school architecture in Quebec in order to promote learning and educational success, as a founding member and member of the Board of Directors of Lab-École, a non-profit organization that aims to bring together multidisciplinary expertise to design the school environment of tomorrow. Pierre Thibault is a professor at the School of Architecture at Laval University, and has been a visiting professor at several locations, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), the School of Architecture in Nancy (France), and the École des hautes études appliquées in Geneva (Switzerland).