Lemay’s newly unveiled pavilion at Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal introduces a contemporary architectural layer to one of Canada’s most revered cultural and spiritual landmarks. Designed as both threshold and destination, the four-storey pavilion redefines how visitors arrive, move through, and experience Quebec’s most visited religious site, which welcomes more than two million people each year.

Rooted in a master plan initiated in 2000, the pavilion marks a significant evolution for the Oratory—one that honours its heritage while embracing a forward-looking vision. From the outset, visitors are guided through a carefully orchestrated sequence of spaces that reframes the act of pilgrimage as an immersive journey, where architecture, landscape, and movement are inseparable.

A defining element of the intervention is the new bell tower, a vertical landmark housing a 62-bell carillon. More than a visual icon, the tower functions as a sensory instrument—its sound shaping the visitor experience and guiding movement across the site. Long a defining presence on Mount Royal, the bells now play an active role in a multi-sensory dialogue of sound, light, and material, reinforcing the spiritual rhythm of arrival and ascent.

Embedded into the topography of Mount Royal, the pavilion follows the natural flow of the landscape while enhancing universal accessibility. Its material palette draws directly from the mountain itself, creating a seamless connection between architecture and terrain. Gabion walls built from stone excavated on site reference the Oratory’s monumental foundations while filtering daylight into the spaces below, recalling the luminous quality of stained glass. Above, terraced green roofs unfold like natural plateaus, offering new vantage points toward the Oratory’s dome and expansive views of the city beyond.

Material expression and environmental responsibility are closely intertwined throughout the project. Targeting LEED Silver certification, the pavilion integrates a range of sustainability strategies, including expanded green spaces that replace hard paving, improved biodiversity, and reduced heat island effect. High-performance building envelopes, energy-efficient lighting, and advanced ventilation systems further minimize the project’s environmental footprint while ensuring interior comfort year-round.

Inside, the pavilion reveals a series of thoughtfully curated spaces designed for reflection, pause, and engagement. A cafeteria elevated above the landscape offers panoramic views, while new public squares and sacred gardens invite moments of quiet contemplation. A rhythmic sequence of skylights and illuminated ceilings subtly guides circulation, strengthening the connection between interior and exterior and revealing glimpses of the surrounding context at every turn.

With this intervention, Lemay achieves a careful balance between cultural continuity and contemporary expression. The pavilion stands as both a respectful extension of Saint Joseph’s Oratory and a welcoming threshold—an architecture of light, landscape, and movement that invites visitors to slow down, reflect, and rediscover a cherished landmark through a renewed spatial experience.

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