Bassin Louise
- Année
- 2026
- Localisation
- Quebec, CA
Composed of multiple architectural entities, the floating sauna redefines Bassin Louise as an evolving public environment where architecture, bathing, and collective use intersect with the river’s dynamics and seasonal transformations. Responding directly to water levels, tides, and the harsh Québec winter, the project investigates the technical and spatial challenges of a large-scale floating structure dedicated to communal gathering and well-being in the heart of Old Québec.
In collaboration with Solstice Sauna and the Port of Québec.
“Designing a floating, public and accessible architecture as a place of well-being represented a major challenge for the team. It required rooting the project in its territory, anchoring it within a distinct Nordic culture, while also embedding it in the constructive reality of a building set on a barge, moored to a quay, in constant dialogue with tides and seasons. The architecture and its design process had to engage with this new reality, unfolding as forms that speak to and respond to one another. Forms that embrace the movement of water and bodies.”
— Marc-Olivier Champagne-Thomas, associate architect at Appareil Architecture
“We are pleased to help bring awareness to the benefits of the Nordic ritual of the floating sauna in Québec. The social sauna is intended to be simple and accessible; there will be no spa facilities, hot whirlpools, steam rooms, or massage services. The project is envisioned as an accessible, social, family-friendly, and inclusive space.”
— Frédérik Nissen and Ismaël Ulvik, founders of Solstice Sauna
