WINNER OF THE 2024 CANADIAN ARCHITECT PHOTO AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
There is an honest, direct beauty to this photograph—qualities that seem to be mimicked in the design of the space itself. Without seeming staged, the scene authentically captures a quiet moment in a school auditorium. The composition wonderfully frames the subject matter with the shape of the triangular window mirroring the child and her belongings. I appreciate the “sweet spot” that the photographer has found: they placed themselves close enough to show material details, but are also far enough away to evoke a sense of the overall space.
– Lisa Stinner-Kun, juror
I’m generally interested by indirect, soft light in the pictures I make. Large triangular roof-light chimneys in the pavilions at École du Zénith funnel diffused daylight down into the interior spaces from above, creating moments of delight. Located at the foot of Mont Shefford near Montreal, the school is part of an experimental collection curated by Lab École, an initiative launched in 2019 to review and explore the way primary schools are designed in Québec. The image is from a series commissioned by Montreal’s Pelletier de Fontenay.
As appeared in the December 2024 issue of Canadian Architect magazine
See all the 2024 Awards of Excellence winners
You can read our jury’s full comments here.