Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Les architectes FABG designed the Paddock for the F1 Canadian Grand Prix as an assembly of prefabricated parts including concrete panels, steel beams and columns, CLT wooden beams and panels, curtain walls and removable partitions.

It can also be easily disassembled and recycled materials in case of Grand Prix termination.

Unlike other international Grands Prix, the lounge areas have no exterior walls and are not airconditioned, the interior spaces are minimally finished and the building must make responsible use of the public funds invested while equipping Montreal with equipment that reflects our identity and values for an event seen by more than 300 million people around the world.

For FABG, the new building echoes the innovative structures that marked Quebec’s imagination
when the 1967 World’s Fair was held on the site of Île Notre-Dame.

The Terre des Hommes logo using the Y to represent men with outstretched hands remains an indelible symbol of this summer that marked the advent of modernity here.

The wooden structure proposed for the roof is based geometrically on this memory and reflects our desire to move away from the images and values usually associated with motor racing and more specifically with Formula 1.

The advent of new owners and executives at the head of the circuit has made possible the acceptance of this proposal, which corresponds to their desire to move away from the ostentatious globalized luxury in order to highlight the cultural and geographical specificity of each stage of the circuit and adapt it to emerging values.

The new Paddocks will accommodate up to 13 stables, each of which will have two front access for single-seaters, drivers and technical teams, as well as a service access located at the rear of the building for equipment or for quick access to the redeveloped hospitality area.

Designed without a permanent division, the garage space is modular according to the needs of the teams at each edition of the Canadian Grand Prix: temporary partitions will be used to create the desired divisions and thus suit the technical needs of this constantly evolving sport.

The building presents a completely new configuration of the space for sports commentators and representatives of the FIA and FOWC: the distribution has been redesigned to meet the need for stakeholder interactions with the action taking place on the circuit.

Unlike the Old control tower which was made at height to offer good visibility on the track, the new tower is arranged horizontally on 2 floors right in the building, as new race control technologies now require less direct visibility.

The building has been designed to multiply the views on the race track, but also on the entire environment of the park that surrounds it, with the development of several terraces on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

The new building being higher presents a 360-degree panorama to the spectators.

On one side, a close-up view of Jean-Doré Beach, the Casino de Montréal, former Pavilion of France during Expo 67, as well as the former Pavilion of Quebec that is adjacent to it.

In the distance, the city of Montreal, Mount Royal and its cross are visible.

The building has been designed to multiply the views on the race track, but also on the entire environment of the park that surrounds it, with the development of several terraces on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

On the other side, you can see at first glance the Olympic pool where groups of rowing, canoeing and dragon boats train. Behind, a narrow passage of the St. Lawrence River crossed by freight boats, then the South Shore of Montreal.

Architects: Les architectes FABG
Design Team: Marc Paradis, Éric Gauthier, Nicolas Moussa
Client: Société du Parc Jean Drapeau
General Contractor: GEYSER Group
Photographers: Steve Montpetit