Montréal school looks like its been carved out of a giant iceberg

Inspired by an icehouse that previously occupied the site, Maison des étudiants de l’École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) in Montréal, Canada looks like a singular sculpted volume carved out of a giant iceberg.

The mixed-use building designed by Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes incorporates a glazed atrium that acts as an extension of the public park in front of the building and aims for LEED Silver certification.

The building was designed to redefine the way educational facilities communicate with their urban context, and enhance the entire neighborhood of Griffintown district in Montréal. The school offers mediated views of the program occupying the upper levels and becomes more extroverted by inviting the surroundings inside the campus.

The atrium is dominated by a spiraling promenade that connects different zones and programs. Built-in outdoor furniture such as cushioned nooks is scattered across the space, forming different areas where students can relax, study and socialize.