The West Island College (WIC) is committed to an exciting process of continuously evolving their positive and progressive campus environment. To that end, this Campus Master Plan provides an integrated framework to guide future projects. The themes of luminosity, transparency, adaptability, interactivity, and serenity are important design-generators in this architectural concept. The design is characterized by an integrated ecological approach, continuing in the spirit of the WIC Arts and Sciences Pavilion, which EKM completed in 2004, which won the province-wide Order of Architects award for ecological architecture.
The campus would be organized around a meandering spine; a landscape conception called a “greenway”, which would include a pedestrian path, bicycle access and parking, seating at key areas, soft and hard landscaping, as well as the possibility for a future basketball area and a fitness oriented “play structure”. The experience of entering and exiting the site and building would be significantly improved, in response to the reality that there are peak times when many pedestrians and vehicles are simultaneously navigating through the campus.
Having participated in architectural projects at WIC for over 20 years, EKM has developed an interest and familiarity with the wider urban context. In the interests of promoting a positive dialogue on the nature of sustainable future development in the vicinity of WIC, EKM proposes an ecological initiative summarized in the plan of interconnected green spaces. These green spaces, linked together by active transport pathways (walking and cycling), have the potential to become a beautiful networked parkway.
The Municipality of Dollard-des-Ormeaux has the opportunity to create a significant urban landscape initiative, if the undeveloped strip of land to the north-east of WIC can be developed in the context of a comprehensive sustainable vision.