CBC/Radio-Canada’s Board of Directors recently approved a proposal for the construction of a new Maison Radio-Canada (MRC) broadcasting facility in Montreal, Que.

The proposal was submitted by a team led by real estate developer Broccolini Group and includes architecture and design studio Quadrangle, Béïque Legault Thuot Architectes (BLTA) and Dupras Ledoux Engineers.

The new structure will rise in the parking lot east of the existing CBC building located at the corner of René-Lévesque Boulevard East and Papineau Avenue. Radio-Canada will lease these new facilities under a 30-year term. Construction is scheduled to begin in September 2017, with completion slated for January 2020.

The new proposal features clear and simple wayfinding, interconnected spaces with the public and plenty of natural light on all floors as a way of reflecting Radio-Canada’s mandate to be more open and accessible. Creators and programmers will work within modern and versatile spaces which will help support the collaborative workplace strategy of the digital, multiplatform public broadcasting company.

The building features a sky-lit atrium at the centre of the building that will act as a public entrance and also as a pivot point for the work spaces that surround it. The connection between the different spaces will feature bridges that connect the various floors, providing for easy communication and creating a dynamic and lively central space for the complex.

“As the headquarters of Radio-Canada, the new home of MRC will be a landmark building incorporating the principles of creativity, connectivity, transparency, immersion and visibility, which are all central values to the mission and vision of Radio-Canada,” said Ted Shore, Quadrangle principal, in a press release. “We look forward to continuing to work with our consortium partners and Radio-Canada, to realize this forward-looking facility which will allow Radio-Canada to flourish within a dynamic and ever-changing media environment.”

Photo rendering provided by Broccolini.