The concept for this school, located in Dolbeau-Mistassini, is ‘A window to the woods”. This is expressed in two main features of the building: the laminated wood structure and the wood siding.
Wood was chosen as the principal construction material for didactic purposes as the centre offers training in forestry practices, but also to promote the local wood industry and to contribute to the sustainable development of the region.
The building shows the different possibilities of wood construction to the forestry students and is an example of sustainable construction as it emphasizes renewable and local materials. The beams and columns are made from glued-laminated black spruce harvested in the region and the wood siding is made from wood torrefied at a local plant.
Owing to the use of wood, the main volume of the building has a human, warm and ecological character, not typical for a garage. It also connects perfectly with the smaller volume where the administration and the classrooms for teaching theory are located. In addition, the use of an exposed wood structure throughout the building, reduced costs thanks to the limited use of suspended ceilings and gypsum finishes.