Montreal’s Maisonneuve Library has reopened to the public following a major restoration and expansion of the historic building. Dating from 1912, and once serving as a city hall, the building’s transformation was led by Montreal-based EVOQ Architecture and Dan Hanganu Architects, now part of EVOQ, following a 2017 competition win.

At the center of the project is the original 1912 building, which was rehabilitated to restore its “original splendor.” The building’s stone facades and oversized doors were restored, as were original plaster moldings, wood paneling, and mosaic floors. Meanwhile, anchoring elements of the interior such as the piano nobile’s marble staircase and its two imposing stained-glass features were repaired.

The existing building is flanked by two contemporary extension wings. The alignment of the extension’s curtain walls, as well as the rhythm of its brise-soleil, were governed by the historic structure’s neo-classical colonnade. Meanwhile, a defining “tower” element was installed off the east wing to give a “clear statement of the library’s contemporary identity,” as well as support a new vertical circulation core.

Where the historic building meets the new extensions, a full-height void has been left as a “constant reminder to users of what was once there.” The move sees the building’s imposing columns on full display, complimented by steel portals and spatial voids that “emphasize the transition from the light-filled contemporary wings to the more subdued ambiance of the original structure.”

The resulting program for the library includes creative amenities such as a media lab, animation studio, and video games room for young users, alongside quiet reading and study rooms on the upper floors. Elsewhere, a partly cantilevered ‘silent room’ is aligned with nearby traditional balconies overlooking Pie-IX Boulevard.

“The book-centered archetype, which dictated the layout of libraries through most of the 20th century, no longer prevails, as recent libraries have taken on a new role and often act as social hubs in their respective communities,” the team explains. “The Maisonneuve branch is no exception. Its transformation, which allowed it to expand from 1,240 to 3,594 square meters, provided it with an opportunity to reinvent itself and meet the needs of a more inclusive and constantly evolving society.”

The library is one of several recently completed schemes to feature in our editorial. Last week, we covered the opening of UNStudio’s Eclipse office building in Dusseldorf, as well as the Terminal E expansion at Boston Logan International Airport by AECOM and luis vidal + architects. Earlier this month, meanwhile, Snøhetta’s AIRSIDE mixed-use development opened in Hong Kong.