The Village of Senneville remains a well-kept secret in the Montreal area. Originally developed for the tourism and resort industry, this small residential hamlet features a breathtaking location on the Lake of Two Mountains shores, which is best explored by following the emblematic Chemin Senneville. Under an impressive mature tree canopy, a built legacy of grand Maxwell mansions, early century farming outbuildings and former second homes now converted to typical homes make for a symbolic village. The challenge of building current architecture in a harmonious manner with the prevailing building vernacular motivated the reflections on the design of a coherent Civic Center for the new City Hall.
Beyond the village’s picturesque character, it is also a place where many families and residents live, which contributes to the new administrative needs of the municipality. Established for a long time inside an old residence not conceived for such functions, the construction of the new Senneville Town Hall was a unique opportunity to imagine a place of identity connected to the town’s heritage and meeting the requirements of today’s and tomorrow’s administrators and citizens.
From the first feasibility studies, ranging from the selection of the site for the new City Hall to accompanying the client in defining its needs, the Blouin Beauchamp Architectes team has defended the sustainable values of providing the citizens a Civic Center at the core of their community adapting to long-term needs. Beyond the numerous environmental considerations related to the building’s performance and the interventions on site, the users’ proximity dynamics and the building’s resilience to an inevitable demographic growth constitute an important legacy to future generations and an undeniable economic value.
Located on the Chemin Senneville’s edge, the City Hall is discreetly and slightly set back from the road, while affirming its civic character. The volumetry created by the steeply pitched metal roof and the cedar shingle cladding echoes the forms and materials of the neighboring buildings. With its large windows, the building expresses the municipality’s values of openness and hospitality. The light-colored wood cladding of the ceilings and soffits envelops the citizens and employees in a warm environment of exchange and work.
Inspired by a sensitive incorporation of its context and a vision combining the present and the future in its design, the Senneville Town Hall is a unique story in terms of maintaining local heritage and providing an excellent steppingstone for future generations.
