04-04-2016
La Taule by Architecture Microclimat in Quebec.
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- La Taule by Architecture Microclimat in Quebec.
![La Taule by Architecture Microclimat in Quebec. La Taule by Architecture Microclimat in Quebec.](https://www.floornature.com/media/photos/38/11506/10__home_sez.jpg)
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The La Taule sports centre was built in Waterloo, in the Eastern Townships region, about 100 km east of Montréal. An old jail was converted into a fitness centre in 2010, and the facility was so successful that to meet its expanding needs, the owner decided to move to a developing neighbourhood of the township in 2014.
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Architecture Microclimat, founded in 2013 by Guillaume Marcoux and Olivier Lajeunesse-Travers was commissioned to design the new La Taule sports centre. The architects responded with a visually striking building, where the actual construction is used for the sports and fitness activities: the mezzanine supports the horizontal bars, the staircase offers two side-by-side flights of steps, for both foot traffic and training, gymnastic rings are suspended from the ceiling, and an outdoor area was left open for training.
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Microclimat opted for a large, split-level open space, bringing a range of sporting enthusiasts under a single roof in an environment with stand-out materials - red cedar, cherry wood and steel. These have been combined to create bright, clean interiors, taking the whole feel to another plane, with a warm, inviting space.
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But still, appearances do count and the fact that La Taule won the Grands Prix du Design 2015 award (Fitness Centre category) tells us a lot about the design quality of the building completed by Microclimat. The local residents really appreciate its beauty, as do the facility users, and it has become a real meeting point for the community, not just a drawcard for sports and fitness enthusiasts.
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La Taule by Microclimat is actually a perfect example of sustainable architecture, pairing its great social value for the residents with the construction's style and durability, a blueprint for feasible development to the benefit of its users.
Christiane Bürklein
Project: Microclimat: microclimat.ca
Location: Waterloo, Quebec, Canada
Structural Engineer: Geniex
Year: 2015
Photo: Adrien Williams
Website La Taule: la-taule.com
Thanks to v2com